Angel Wings and Chevy Impalas
by RubyScars
Summary: Alida was genetically engineered, and if anyone knew anything about the Flock, then you would consider her a bird kid. She wouldn't. She was a hunter, designed to kill the bird kids. But she chose to protect them. Now that her mission was over, her orders abandoned, she set out to discover who else she really was. That was when she ran into two brothers in a Chevy Impala.. cont...
1. A Sleepy Diner and a Werewolf

**For some reason bird kids are bleeding into all of my fandoms so I am sorry!**

 **If anyone likes this please review and tell me what you think :D This will also be found on also by RubyScars**

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Alida sat on the stool for a moment, nursing her coffee and enjoying the quiet diner. It was almost empty and nearing closing time but the kind waitress waved away any need to leave and so she sat there enjoying the peace. It was rare, these moments and she intended to enjoy it for as long as she could. She could see both exits, a half asleep truck driver was the only person other than the waitress present and Alida and she had cash to pay. There didn't seem to be any problems for once.

You wouldn't think she was out of the ordinary, maybe a college student catching a late night snack after studying. She was wearing brown leather boots up to her knees and skinny jeans. A loose leather jacket to match the boots with extra zippers was over a loose pink dressy blouse. She had smiled politely at the waitress who had admired her red hair pulled back into a wavy ponytail. Her light blue eyes were heightened by a spattering of freckles across her nose and considering everything she was a pretty young thing, but easy to overlook.

None of them knew that she had a knife in each boot and one at the small of her back. Her ponytail had lockpicks and a thin wire was looped through the rubber band holding her hair, for emergencies. If one of them had a keen eye and could decipher the way her clothes fell on her hidden weapons, well then they were probably the type of person to steer clear of someone so obviously equipped to be dangerous.

But even they wouldn't have been able to figure out what lay against her back, stiff and unmoving it could be seen as her coat settled on it every once in a while. No body noticed, no one cared to look that close and if they did they were abruptly caught by bright aqua eyes and an arresting smile but nobody had noticed. She could sit peacefully, knowing that the bandage wrapped loosely around her chest and stomach would hold the the large wings on her back down, and the loose shirt would dimish that awkward shape. The jacket covered it completely and so unless someone knew what to look for no one would detect that the pretty young girl wasn't complettley human.

She was only ninety seven percent human to be honest, two percent avian, and what some friends of hers liked to refer to as a birdkid. She had an extra dose of bird, but for some reason it didn't seem to show even though it had secretly worried her for years. She didn't even have mutations that turned into powers like they did, a group of young people with wings lead by a girl named Maximum Ride. The Flock. They were almost normal if you considered children that could fly, breath under water, and read minds normal. Well, perhaps she should call them special then. They were her mission, for better or worse, and she had decided it would be for the better.

Alida was a couple of years older than their leader, but she had not had as much contact with the outside world and so she often felt like a directionless child. They hadn't even known she had existed unitl Itexicon sent her to kill them. Made specifically to be a predator, a hunter for a time when a bird kid needed to be eliminated, she had been trained for the day when she was sent out to kill one of the precious assets.

She hadn't expected these so called rogue assets to be loyal children ready to die for one another, and she had been quickly outnumbered when she had finally been sent to hunt Maximum Ride. She had survived, and had succeeded in taking down her target to their surprise, but with the blonde girl so ready to die for her family Alida hadn't gone for the kill. And so for the first time in her life she disobeyed an order and she did not kill the girl who named herself Maximum Ride.

Instead she had elected to save her, returning from her assignment to destroy the building that had been her home, her prison, for nineteen years. She had been deadly, furious, and terrified as she attacked, but there was no other option for her. They would be destroyed or the Flock and herself would never be safe.

The Flock arrived in time to aid her as she was becoming outnumbered and helped her battle her way through the prison. For the first time she did not fight alone, and the sensation of being surrounded by a sky full of wings was one of the dearest Alida had. They set free those children who were still there, not many for this had been a secret place left over from when Max had rebelled and destroyed Itexicon, or as much as she could.

Max hadn't even known there had been any left, and as they dismembered the labs they realized that meant there were probably other places, secret labs like the one that had held Alida. The Flock hadn't been as safe as they had thought and Alida mourned the loss of the freedom they thought they had won.

Alida protected them for months, learning how to be free and healing from her imprisonment but soon she was stifled by the Flock that she wasn't really a part of no matter how welcoming they were. She soon decided to search out the last embers of Itexicon and protect the children from a distance. They had agreed, letting her go with guilty relief but she needed to find who she was, more than just choosing a name and being a soldier. And so here she was in the middle of a small town in Wyoming, drinking coffee close to midnight and hiding her wings.

All things considered, she was thankful for the silence and the smell of baked goods still permeating the air. It was a new memory, perhaps a normal human wouldn't remember this place, but it was one of the few Alida was collecting to combat the numerous ones filled with the scent of disinfectant or blood. She stood with a sigh, dropping the money she had stolen from some rich man's bank acount next to her coffee cup and then she left a generous tip also.

She didn't feel guilty, the kind hearted woman had spoken fondly of the three children she had at home. It would do more good there than in the bank account of someone who would barely notice it was gone. Alida left quietly, not wanting to get the waitresses attention and have to suffer through a thank you or goodbye. She never handled those well, and it was easier to just leave while the woman was distracted.

She strode out the back door, pretty sure she wasn't suppose to be using it considering the dust and boxes down the hallway. She looked up at the night sky with another sigh as the door creaked closed behind her, leaving her in a dark alley with nothing but the stars.

~3~

In some small town in the middle of no where USA a Chevy Impala roared down the street, turning down a dark alley. It was actually a pleasant town, sleepy at this close to midnight and a diner was cheerfully lit and welcoming near by. The men inside the black car hoped to visit it soon, but they were a little bit distracted by the werewolf now running from their headlights.

It was quickly cornered at the end of the alley, the diner having been built right up next to a towering bank. This was the old part of town, buildings built together and leaning together made of old stone and there was consequently no where else for the werewolf to go unfortunatley there was girl there as well, face pale as the cars lights flashed and the werewolf snarled. The car rolled to a stop, and the men quickly got out, tensed at the way the werewolf crept closer to the girl. The werewolf turned with a snarl, eyes flashing in the headlights as the men came towards him, dark sillouhettes holding guns.

The one on the left was taller, hair feathering to his broad shoulders that were now tensed as he raised the gun in his hands. To his right strode a bowlegged man who stood a few inches shorter than him but he almost casually raised his own gun, a nearly silent shot ringing out quicker than the werewolf expected.

It howled in pain, the silver bullet burrowing into its shoulder and making it leap away from the girl it had cornered against the wall. It snarled, wraking its claws at the approaching men, darting towards the shorter building and attempting to climb the wall. The men stood in front of the girl, now forgotten behind them as they made sure that the monster didn't get away.

The taller man shot it in the leg, his gun also suspicioulsy silent and if the werewolf had retained any of its human reasoning it would have noticed the silencers placed on the end of the weapons. As it was,the werewolf howled in pain, the noise cut short with a snarl as it had to dodge the shorter man's attack.

"Shut up and die, ugly," the man grunted, and the werewolf snapped at him not understanding the words but hearing the threat there. And then a howl echoed down the alley and it did not come from the werewolf cowering before them. The men cursed, turning to face the entrance where a woman was hunkering in the shadows. But it wasn't a woman any longer, her eyes were yellow, teeth jutting out into sharp fangs while claws curved from her fingers to carve out human hearts.

"It has a mate, Dean," the taller hunter exclaimed, gun not wavering from the werewolf before him as the shorter one turned to face the new werewolf. A quick bullet aimed at its heart killed the one before him, and the mate howled in grief and anger that made the hair on their arms stand up.

"I didn't notice, Sammy! Son of a bitch," the other man exclaimed, Dean, who was now trying to aim at the quick she wolf running towards him. He didn't take a shot, not yet, to preserve the silver bullets. It moved closer, suddenly lit up by the headlights. He smirked as it leapt towards him, gun ready to take the shot. Perfectly aimed at its heart and his finger moved to squeeze the trigger.

Someone leapt in front of him, and Sam's hand shot out and grabbed Dean's arm pointing the gun away as Dean cursed at the girl whose red hair lit up in the head lights. What the hell did she think she was doing?!

"Stay back!" a female voice called back and he was surprised to hear it confident and not wavering in the face of the snarling werewolf. She snapped out, fist catching the werewolf in the jaw and snapping her back so fast it left Dean breahtless. The slim girl who stood in front of them had just hit a werewolf so hard in mid attack that she had been knocked aside.

Dean and Sam moved at the same time, Sam moving to protect the girl while Dean brought his gun up to shoot the werewolf and end this but the girl was moving as well and it wasn't away. The werewolf had returned to her feet and had lunged for the girls throat. She gasped in pain as the werewolf hit her in the chest, her hands up to hold the snapping fangs away from her and she fell back into Dean as the full force of the attack bowled her over.

Dean grabbed her with a grunt, twisting her to the side as Sam bowled into the werewolf, ripping it away from the girl. Sam pulled out a knife, easily stabbing it through her chest but he moved away confused when he found the knife already buried in its heart. He turned back, to find the girl shoving Dean away from her with a scowl that women usually didn't turn on his brother, especially after being rescued. Dean gave him a bewildered look, obviously thrown by her reaction to him as well, and Sam smirked.

Dean looked at her ridiculously pink shirt now covered in dirt and blood, but she was otherwise in order. She was slender, almost too thin for how tall she was but he couldn't tell if she was unheathily so under her loose clothes. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and Dean was surprised to see the red color look almost ruby instead of the bright orange of earlier. It fell to the middle of her shoulder blades around a pale face. Bright aqua eyes were staring at him, and Dean would have given her his flirtatious grin if they weren't bright with annoyance.

"What do you think you were doing!" she snapped angrily at them and the brothers shared another startled look, blinking in surprise at the small woman. This was obviously not what they were expecting.

"What?" Sam intelligently asked, eyebrows furrowing as his lips started to turn into a pout at the woman exhuding anger. She was actually pretty tall, almost the same heighth as his brother, but of course Sam still had to look down to stare into her glaring fierce blue eyes. He felt himself slouching at the firm look and turned to Dean to see if he understood what was happening.

"Who are you?" She demanded, tired of waiting for an answer and this time Dean glared back.

"Who do you think you are, sweetheart? I'm Dean, this is my brother Sam and we just saved your ass, after you jumped in front of a werewolf like an idiot," Dean scolded and Sam rubbed the back of his neck guiltily.

"Um, actually Dean, I think she had that one handled. We didn't know anyone was working this case," Sam admitted and Dean glared at his brother, giving him the 'explain right now or I'll hit you' look. Sam just pulled the spare knife out of the werewolf's chest, holding it up to the girl who took it quickly out of his hand without touching him. She smirked at Dean before wiping it off on the inside of her jacket and sliding it back into one of her tall boots. Then she froze, fingertips touching the hilt as her eyes glanced up at the brothers, eyes wide and lips slightly parted.

"Did you just say werewolf?" she asked and Dean and Sam froze. They stared at the blank look on her face, trying to catch up with the victim that was actually a hunter but now wasn't a hunter because what kind of hunter didn't know about werewolves?

"You never said who you were," she said simply, straightening slowly but now she was watching them warily. Dean scowled at her, not sure what was happening and he looked to Sam letting him handle it. He was better with people.

"We help people that are in danger. We hunt monsters," Sam assured her, halting as he saw her eyes narrow and she stiffed, obviously preparing to run.

"Look, you didn't have any problem stabbing that thing in the heart, so how about you tell us who you are?" Dean demanded suspiciously and the girl's eyes flickered to where he still held his gun. Dean shifted at the look and her eyes met his and for one brief moment he could see the fear there. And then she punched him in the face, sending the hunter toppling backward.

She ran, darting around the man now holding his bleeding nose, and she was quickly down the ally, avoiding Sam's grapsing hands. He had went after her the moment she struck, hesitating over his brother but his muffled curses assured him he was okay, but she was closer to Dean and the end of the alley than he was. As soon as he moved to restrain her she was at the end of the ally and then she was gone.

"Wha didn' yew shoo 'er?" Dean asked angrily as he pushed to his feet and Sam sighed at teh sight of blood streaming down his chin. They moved back to the car, Dean refusing to get in until Sam handed him some napkins from the last buger joint. He pressed it to his face, making sure he wouldn't bleed on the seat.

"Want me to drive?" Sam asked, expecting the glare and profanity that followed his offer and Sam just leaned back in his seat, watching his brother's dark mood grow.

"I can't believe you got knocked down by a small girl," Sam teased, grinning as his brother glared at him and then shrieking in a way he would forever deny as he tossed the blood covered napkins at him.

"Shu' up. You saw the way she took owt tha' woof," Dean told him grumpily, pressing another napkin to his face as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the alley. What kind of monster was she? There was no way a regular girl could put down a werewolf like that and only that fact was holding Dean's pride together. He was totally gonna gank her if he saw her again. Even if she hadn't hit him, she had been all together annoying and ungrateful. He had ganked beautiful women before, he could do it again.


	2. Running and Receptionists

Alida was shaken. She hated to admit it but her hands wouldn't stop trembling where they were shoved in her pockets as she strode down the street. She had only just stopped running, realizing that she had to have run miles away with no pursuit and was almost completly across town.

She had zipped up her jacket, covering the suspcious stain that now ruined her last pretty shirt but even though no one could tell something had changed she felt as if she looked completely different. If anyone else had been out that late they wouldn't know that her life had just been turned upside down.

She couldn't stop waiting for someone to jump out and attack her, Erasers from the roofs or men with guns at every corner. Her eyes kept roaming the shadows, her ears straining to pick of the faintest sounds over the sound of her rapidly beating heart.

What had she been thinking? All she had known was that she had left the diner only to have her peace interrupted by the roar of a car and a flash of headlights. She had sensed the Eraser's presence only moments before they had arrived, noted the wild look in its eyes with a fear that she was ashamed to note overwhelmed her and then there were two men leaping in front of her.

She had frozen, staring at the fangs and wondering how the School had found her, did that mean they had found Max, why did it have orders to kill? Then she had noted the men actually pulling out guns and moving to keep her behind them. They were trying to protect her, and she moved with guilt, going to aid them when she had felt the new arrival. She could hear its footsteps on the stone, the harsh breathing mixed with an animalistic whine, and she turned to find its eyes focused on the men.

They were all too human she realized as they used their guns and tried to stay out the Eraser's reach. If they had been experiments, advanced in any way they most certainly would have used that by now but even though they outnumbered the Eraser they hadn't gotten too close. They hadn't even sensed the second one until it had howled, charging down the street at them and its now dead comrade. If it leapt at them, not even a bullet would kill it in time. She had seen Erasers consumed with enough vindictiveness to rend you apart with their dying breath no matter how fatal their wounds.

She moved without thinking, leaping in front of the men and into the path of the Eraser as she yelled at them to stay back, but there was something seriously wrong with it. She didn't see any recognition in its gaze, no humanity there even if the Erasers she faced were usually twisted with the sick urge to kill she could see them reasoning.

They were still thinking, breathing humans with weapons growing out of their skin. In its yellow eyes she found only the bloodthirsty urge to attack and she had struck with all her strength, her arm twisting in the way they had trained her to get the ultimate impact. Her body twisted along with it, her other hand pulling the knife out from the top of her boot.

She had moved without hesitation, the bestial look in its eyes not phasing her this time. Alida was rarely surprised by an attack, and she learned from her mistakes. It recovered from her strike almost immediately, whining as it leapt for her.

It was a fatal mistake, one that a normal Eraser would never make but this creature thought she was weak prey and easy to kill. Her claws reached for her but Alida ignored them, instead bringing up her knife to the exposed chest and shoving it into her heart.

Alida stepped back, absorbing the impact when she collided with someone else, a male's voice grunting an expletive and large arms wrapping around her middle making Alida tense and release her knife in the corpse so that she could twist out of his hold.

He let go willingly, pushing at her to move her away from the already dead Eraser that the other man was now watching fall with surprise on his face. Alida glared, trying not to shiver with unease at the unwelcome sensation of someone touching her so _much_.

But the man was focused on the other only looking back to her when he was sure he was unharmed. He looked unused to the look she was giving him, a hard glare, and she noted with distaste his pretty face. He was probably use to women falling all over him.

Her eyes were better adapted to the dark than most but she still couldn't make out the right shade of his hair, or his eyes but his lip frowned in what would have been a seductive sight if she wasn't annoyed at the handsome wide eyed man.

She remembered the experiment back at the school where the scientists had spliced genes and created attractive faces to lure in their prey. It was just another tool to get them to trust, to get the innocent closer and now Alida avoided nearly anyone with a killer grin and the confidence swagger. Too many times it came before the pain. He had muscles, obviously trained to use weapons and use to being in a fight and that would have made her cautious anyway.

The other wasn't any better. He was taller, an inspiring height that made her feel uneasy since she was use to feeling tall but it looked good on him and his muscled frame, not gawky as it would if he was too thin. Although he was now slouching in under her gaze, eyes wide and also starting to pout and Alida decided they were related. There was no way that the two men just happened to both be attractive and attentive to each other. Their silent conversations and fighting techniques that worked around each other meant they had been around each other for a long time.

Trained fighters, with weapons, attacked an Eraser without blinking, they had to be other experiments but they weren't. She had already decided they seemed human. They were older than the others Alida had met, already out of their teens and definitely considered men although the taller of the two seemed younger. That might of just been his puppy eyes, and the way he exuded an earnest energy. His hair was a dark color, shoulder length that made his eyes seem even wider.

Alida glared at them, still trying not to shiver at the way that she had been so easily grabbed and it didn't help that the one closer to her, the one that had touched her, was glaring right back.

"What do you think you were doing!" She had tried to ask but it had come out an angry accusation as she thought about how close they had come to getting killed. What were they doing here? Why had they come to save her? Why did they think she needed saving?

They shared another look, this one startled, and Alida wanted to move to retrieve her knife but she didn't want to get any closer to these strangers, confusion starting to make her tremble. That just made her angrier. She couldn't let herself seem weak but she had been so lost in this world and now here they were breaking all of the rules she thought she knew.

"Who are you?" She asked instead, wanting answers and it was the shorter one that replied. He was still close to her, evidently not troubled with standing so close. It seemed that most people spoke this way, within arms length from each other but it always troubled her.

The proximity didn't bother him, but evidently she did because he snarkily replied about saving her before introducing them. Dean and Sam. Sam and Dean, they were brothers she noted, realizing that Dean was the eldest. He took charge, introducing them and being hostile as if to warn her against troubling his brother. She had seen Max do the same.

They didn't know anyone had been working the case, the soft one, Sam, had said as he returned her knife and his brother glared at him. Alida wondered what that meant, realizing that they had misunderstood each other. They were not here because they knew about the experiments and were helping with the Eraser. And she was not here on some case. Who were they? What were they? Wait, what had he said?

When she had blurted out her question in surprise and then regret, realizing that they had called the Erasers werewolves it had already been too late. She had seen them shift from confused to apprehensive, Dean's eyes narrowing suspiciously. She had seen his hand move, still holding his weapon. They didn't know what she was, they didn't know what Erasers were. Who were these people who thought that they were werewolves? She ignored the next words, focusing on the weapon that was still pointed away.

Then she attacked, moving before they could and hitting the one closest. Logically she could easily step closer, breaking his neck and taking the gun from his dead hand. Shoot the other. At this close enough range that she would not miss. It would only take seconds.

Instead she broke his nose. He cried out as she went past him, hitting him with enough force that he wouldn't be attempting to apprehend her and hopefully distracting the other as well. He would be concerned for his brother she hoped, darting down the alley with as much speed as she was capable of. It wasn't enough. She felt her wings instinctively flutter, still binded and she cursed her decision to hide them in a way that she couldn't use them to escape.

She ran and ran, and didn't stop running, images of bullets in her back and hands capturing her. Now that she had slowed, she realized that she had so easily thought of murdering two people, who if a bit crazy, had tried to risk their lives for her own. She tried to count her breathing, releasing her guilt and recounting the fact that she _hadn't_ but it was hard to focus on when she remembered the way they stood in front of her, facing down something so dangerous.

Alida broke into a jog, relieved that she had actually ran in the direction of her hotel. She had been planning on spending the night but she couldn't stand the thought of staying in this town overrun by lunatics and who knows what else. Those two men were unquestionably skilled at what they were doing, which was what? Hunting down Erasers? Maybe they were from the school, trained to kill lose assets instead of using experiments like her. She hadn't worked out so well for them after all. But then why would they call them werewolves?

Alida planned on calling Max as soon as possible and asking if they had come into contact with anyone like them. If only she could figure out who they were, that would calm the panic threatening to overwhelm her. She could handle more threats after all, if only she knew that is what they were. Alida used her key to enter her rented room, relieved that her hands were steady on the keys. She ripped off her jacket and shirt as soon as the door was dead bolted behind her, and then unwound the bandage holding her wings flat.

She stretched them out in relief, sighing as the feather ruffled and resettled and the muscles in her back hurt in the good way. Then she closed them and pulled on an old band t-shirt with a low cut out back. She had made it specifically for flying and she shoved her pink shirt in her backpack with a sigh before tossing it over one shoulder and exiting the hotel. She left the key in the lock, having already paid for the night she took off quickly hoping no one would look up in time to see the shadow of a girl flying into the sky.

She flew for a couple hours, letting the cool wind flow through her hair and tickle her skin and calm her troubled mind. There was nothing like flying. She let the wind carry her over town after town until the sky around her slowly lightened and then she carried on until the horizon was pink. She would have to rise higher now or risk being seen, but if she did she would lose the air current coasting her along. It would become hard work to make it to the next state and so she let herself drift lower, landing behind a small motel with a yawn.

She hadn't got any sleep, and after adrenaline and her panic she could use a shower and then rest. Not to mention anything to eat she could get her hands on. She pulled out her jacket, slipping it on and flattening her wings as much as possible before going in to rent a room. She didn't get an odd look from the bored receptionist, an older woman that popped her gum and went back to painting her nails, which made Alida feel even more relieved. Sometimes people liked to ask questions, but the woman didn't care at all about random girls showing up at the crack of dawn without a car in sight.

Alida went to her room, ignoring the vile wallpaper and slightly musty smell in favor of falling into bed. She rose immediately, with a small groan of protest, and took out a knife before checking every corner of the hotel room, which only took a moment since it was a single room with an adjoining bathroom with cracked tile. Then she made sure the windows were locked and the shades closed before falling back into bed fully clothed. She'd handle everything else tomorrow, strange men, showers, and erasers all.

The receptionist sniffed in annoyance when someone else showed up, the most that anyone had ever come to the hotel during her shift and she was more than a bit peeved about it. She peered at the black car rolling up, and a tall man got out of the passenger door, making his way towards her as the car rolled up to park. She rolled her eyes at his long hair, shoving the form to fill out and a room key at him before he could speak a word and then turned back to painting her nail.

He smiled politely at her, eyebrows raising for a moment before he dropped the money on the desk and took the key out to where another man was waiting with their bags. They went into their rooms after that and the receptionist hoped that she would be at home in her own bed by the time they woke up to annoy her some more. Really, how many people shows up at dawn?

 **So, I will try to move this along faster but I hope you like it! Tell me what you think :)**


	3. The Winchesters

Alida woke with a groan, hours later but not nearly long enough. She would've gladly ignored the morning sun and rolled back over to fall back asleep, ignoring the slight discomfort of being covered in dirt and grime from her flight, except for the gnawing hole in her stomach trying to consume all of her internal organs. That would have to be dealt with. She reluctantly rose, struggling out of the curled up position she had taken immediately after falling onto the mattress and into unconsciousness. She hadn't moved since, falling into a deep restorative rest that made her body stiff and her joints pop she stretched into a standing position.

The pit in her stomach was apparently trying to eat her internal organs as a sacrifice for the lack of real sustenance. She needed calories, and she needed them immediately. Not only had she been in a fight, although it was barely one really, but then she had ran a full adrenaline panic fueled escape that then turned into hours of flying. Now that she had sufficient rest, her body's next priority was something to eat and so she turned away from the shower beckoning her for whatever food she could scavenge.

She scarfed the two granola bars stored in her back pack not even breathing as they disappeared within seconds and assuaged the beast that was her hunger not at all. She grabbed her backpack, unwilling to part from her things while she explored this town and found the closest food source possible.

She wasn't even sure where she was. She threw her jacket on over her wings, she wasn't going to be stupid enough to bind them again after hostile contact that was for sure, and threw her hair into a ponytail before exiting the hotel room.

She took a deep breath, feeling the charged air enter her lungs and brighten her mood as she scented the smell of rain on the way. And then she caught sight of the black car, sitting patiently in the parking lot not two doors away from where she stood. She froze, good mood vanishing quicker than her granola bars had.

Her blood ran cold in her veins as she looped her backpack strap tightly over her hand so that she could use it as a weapon before striding quickly away. The car had been empty but as she turned she caught sight of a familiar completely tall shape that she wished would be a bizarre coincidence. But really there was no way that she would meet two gigantic men in black cars in two days.

He was exiting the building quickly, shaking his head at something the secretary was yelling at his back and making his dark hair shake. If he hadn't been a crazy lunatic gun wielding giant than Alida would feel the urge to smile at the way he seemed to unintentional turn the motion into a hair commercial. Since that was exactly what he was, she darted back out of his sight instead hoping that he hadn't seen her. She used the motion to scan the area for his partner. He wouldn't be far away she knew but she nearly shrieked in terror when she turned around to find the man standing behind her.

It wasn't so close that he could touch her, but that didn't stop her pulse from racing or stop her hand from reaching for her knife. His hand moved as well, for the back of his jeans, and Alida could basically see the urge to shoot her on his face that was now lit by morning sun. His eyes were green, an actually very startling shade of green she realized, but they were hard and sharp as they focused on her. His nose seemed fine, although she knew it would still be sore.

"Why are you following us?" he demanded, his rough accusing voice already familiar and Alida's eyebrows shot up in indignation.

"Excuse me?" She demanded wildly, nearly laughing in what had to be hysterics as she backed away from the man but he didn't pull his gun on her. She twisted, turning so that she could see the other brother quickly approaching, his eyes worried as he caught sight of the situation but he was also prepared to fight, face tight in a way that she recognized all too well. His eyes were steadily focused on where she now had her fingers wrapped around the hilt of her knife although she didn't pull it out.

"What are you?" the elder demanded, Dean he had introduced himself once, and Alida felt her glare intensify if that was possible?

"I'm a Gemini," she told him blandly, rolling her eyes at his muffled curse before she muttered darkly, "and you two are bloody psychopaths."

"Hey, we aren't psychopaths I promise, we are just trying to figure this out," Sam told her, gesturing for them to release their weapons with a reassuring smile. Dean gave him a disbelieving look to which he returned a full on bitchface. Alida wasn't sure if it was a little brother thing, or just a Sam thing , but it was royally sassy in a way that startled her into a grin. It took her by surprise, letting her release her death grip on her knife and lower her hand back to her sides. Seeing her Dean grumpily complied.

"So, Gemini, huh? I'm a Taurus," Sam offered peacefully with a small smile which Alida returned, smirking in Dean's direction when he glared at his little brother.

"Seriously, what are you going to ask her out to dinner and a long walk on the beach now or are we going to figure out what the Hell is going on? I mean, I know you have a taste in women though Sammy, don't let me stop you if you want her to murder you in your sleep," Dean prodded his brother in disbelief, and she saw Sam's face twist in an entirely new level of sass but Alida stepped in before he could reply. She could practically feel that this banter was just starting and she didn't have time. She was practically starving and this close to murdering whoever was closest which was regretfully Sam. If it had been Dean she might have just went for it.

"Don't worry Dean, it's not his fault all the freaks fall for him. I'm pretty sure all the normal women do too, there is just something to be said for actual compassion in those pretty brown eyes of his," Alida interjected casually, waving her hand at the now awkwardly shuffling man to her left. He didn't quite blush but it was close and the grin he threw at his brother was victorious and had dimples. Dean on the other hand was glaring furiously. It made his eyes seem even brighter.

"If its compassion you want, you shouldn't punch people in the face. Unless that is your attempt at being friendly, sweetheart, in which I gotta tell ya, it's not working, " Dean retorted, miffed and Alida briefly rolled her eyes heavenward. She immediately them to the men as fear sizzled down her spine. For a moment she had relaxed enough to look away, something about the way they treated each other creeping in under her natural defenses. And that nearly terrified her. She tensed once more, the motion followed by the brothers' also moving and she glared at them both equally. They seemed taken aback by her sudden change.

"Alright then, I politely decline all offers accidentally or purposely made. Good day, then?" She asked, taking a step backwards to leave but she was quickly cut off.

"Hey, we just want to talk," Sam told her raising his hands palm up in the universal way to show that he was harmless, like you would do to calm down a scared child.

"Fine, talk. What are you doing here?" Alida questioned and Sam blinked at the way she twisted his words around. He had really meant ask questions. He looked to Dean who took a step forward and got too far into Alida's space. She wished she could growl at him the way that the Erasers could, display that she was not happy about this but all she could do was glare.

"We're here to gank another werewolf, evidently there are a pack of them which is unusually close to the other one. Seems a bit off, and you know what? So does finding you in both places," Dean told her and Alida was tempted to punch him in the face again just to get his aggressive ass to calm down. However she was thrown once again by him, caught up by werewolves.

"No," she ordered firmly and his surprised expression instantly turned into one of disbelief and a bit defiant.

"What do you mean _no_?" Dean asked with a small growl in his voice, staring at her challengingly. She didn't back down, and she actually took a step closer making him blink in surprise. His glare didn't diminish though as he realized she was almost as tall as him, unusual in a woman but then again everything about her had been that way. She wasn't all up in his personal space, like for example Cas would get, but somehow her bright eyes made him feel like she was far too close. They were a bright clear blue, reminding him of a water color painting of the sky, dark circles in under eyes and her pale skin and red hair only deepening the impression. She looked tired, as if she didn't get enough rest. And if you ever asked Dean if he thought this he would tell you to shut the hell up but he was almost breathless as she didn't back down, meeting him head on without an ounce of fear.

"I said no. You have no idea what you are up against, and even if you are crazy lunatics, no one deserves being torn apart. Besides I'm partial towards Sammy's smile," she taunted him.

"You sound like the lunatic. And no one calls him Sammy but me," Dean told her, crossing his arms and watching as she tucked her hands in her pockets in response. She fought the urge to step away, put more space in between them but this was one of those times that showing weakness, and falling back onto flee mode wouldn't work. If she backed down now, she would lose any respect they had for her, and that was very dangerous. Right now she was a threat. If she stepped back, she was a target.

"Nice come back, come up with all by yourself?" She asked and she basically saw him drag in the breath he was going to use to blast her.

"Dean, calm down," Sam told his brother, obviously exasperated by his brother.

"Hey, what do you mean we don't know what we are dealing with?" Sam asked, curtailing whatever insult Dean had been preparing. He muttered something under his breath that got him a mulish look from Sam. Alida's sensitive ears could hear the words traitorous moose which nearly made her snort but she contained it to just a twitch of the lips as she talked to the only rational man hear. Even though now that she thought about it, moose was a good descriptor for Sam.

"Shorty over here keeps rambling about werewolves," Alida stated simply since they were obviously up for crazy talk, earning another glare and a chuckle before Dean swung around striding to the sleek black car.

"I'm done with this, I need breakfast. Sammy, you handle the crazy chick, if we need to gank her give me a call. Otherwise I need bacon, or whiskey," Dean called over his shoulder, and Alida couldn't help but watch after him longingly as her stomach growled. Bacon sounded absolutely heavenly. Reminded of her hunger, her stomach growled, causing her to flush at Sam's kind smile. He looked over at his brother hesitantly before gesturing towards the car.

"How about we talk about this over breakfast? Once Dean's fed he's more civil," Sam offered before snickering at her look of disbelief.

"Okay, he might be silent while he shovels food in his mouth," he amended and she grinned at the man now glaring suspiciously out the window at his brother.

"What are you up to?" Dean called out of the open window and even though the thought of crawling into that prison on wheels made her skin shiver and her stomach knot in reflex she would love to see his utter outrage at the invitation his brother had just offered. She nodded, hating the way her hands shook so she shoved them in her pockets, striding casually besides the tall man. She could nearly feel the tension in her muscles, and she idly wondered if they'd snap, as her body reflexively fought her. It wanted to get away from the large muscled man by her side, even if he did slump down to make himself smaller and give her a small smile. It was also feeling very betrayed by the fact that they were heading towards the death machine.

"Oh no, Sammy, she is not coming! We don't even know what she is! Hell, we don't even know her name!" Dean fought, and Sam looked down at Alida in surprise.

"We never did get your name did we?" Sam asked apologetically, ignoring Dean's cry that wasn't the point.

"Alida," she told him softly, shivering and Sam's frown slipped a bit before he opened the passenger door for her. She felt her stomach revolt at the sight, at the way she would have to crawl in and effectively be trapped.

"That's a beautiful name," Sam offered but Alida didn't hear him. She was too busy fighting her instinct to bolt, jaw working as she dug her nails into the soft flesh of her hands.

"Sam, get in the back," Dean suddenly ordered and Alida's gaze snapped up to find way to observant eyes watching her. She swallowed, glaring reflexively but couldn't help but sigh gratefully as Sam got into the back without complaint. It was almost comical to watch him fold his long limbs in, but then it was her turn and even placing herself in the front seat would be a feat of control. She met Dean's eyes once more, and he smirked at her. Her eyes narrowed as she slid in,throwing her pack in the floorboard and sitting primly in the seat before slamming the door closed behind her.

"Easy on baby," Dean admonished with a frown and Alida rolled her eyes. Of course he was one of those guys that called their cars by pet names. She sat as close to the door as possible, face turned to the open window as Dean backed it out of the parking lot.

"So, Alida, you ever here of the Winchesters?" Sam asked almost bashfully and Alida turned to find him giving her a small grin. Her eyebrows rose at his sheepish expression, turning to find Dean grimacing before giving her a cocky grin.

"I assume that would be you. But no, I haven't. Should I have?" Alida asked curtly. She didn't know so many things, sometimes it was hard to keep track of what she was supposed to know and what she wasn't. For instance, who the first president was is common knowledge. Where to stab someone so that they bled out within minutes was not.

"Um, well, I guess not. It's just, hunters usually have heard about us," was Sam's response and Dean made a face at his brother.

"Dude, she isn't a hunter. We've already been over this, she doesn't even know what werewolves are," Dean scoffed and Alida fought the urge to throttle him. It would not do well to murder the driver, no matter how obnoxious he was. On the other hand she wanted him to stay very very concentrated because now that they were on the road they were going faster than she was comfortable with. She clenched the side of the seat with her hidden hand, forcing the one they could see loose and relaxed on her lap. She didn't think they were fooled however because Sam kept sending her sympathetic looks.

"Well, I don't think being excluded from Insane Anonymous really hurts my feeling, Dean Winchester," Alida told him before she smacked his leg when he turned to respond.

"Focus!" she exclaimed in irritation bordering on panic and Dean swore at the assault, grabbing her hand. His hand easily wrapped around hers, and she quickly jerked it away as she blushed.

"I know how to drive, woman! Will you calm down, this isn't Fast and the Furious, it's freakin Florin, Georgia. I'm pretty sure we will be alright driving down the road," Dean told her grumpily, and Sam nearly choked trying to contain his laughter.

"Whatever, try not to kill us," was Alida's clever response, but she let it go. She crossed her arms over her chest, either to keep herself from murdering him or escaping the car, she didn't know. But she was still blushing at the way she had panicked and the way he had so easily grabbed her hand. As if it was nothing. Because it was nothing, it was only her that had to judge each motion and movement. Waiting for the attack, for the pain.

* * *

 **To Fanficqueen 306! Thank you so much for the favorite and the reviews :) I hope you like the new chapter!**

 **This story has not yet been set in a Supernatural timeframe, and my Maximum Ride knowledge is lacking,**

 **so any comments or suggestions are welcome! Thank you 3**


	4. Breakfast

"Can't a man just get his breakfast in peace?" Dean asked mournfully but he didn't have any sympathetic ears. Of course, Sammy probably can't hear through that massive mop of hair on his head, and the new chick was the spawn of Satan, Dean thought spitefully, pulling his baby into a parking spot away from the other cars. It was turning out to be the kind of day that some idiot scratched the paint and he would have to kick his hillbilly ass. He watched the girl, Alida she had told Sam, practically tumble out as soon as it was stopped and he glared at her retreating back.

He was a great driver, and his baby was completely safe. He had watched her face though, seen the way she froze. She had been terrified, absolutely distraught at the thought of getting into the backseat and he wondered if she had been in some kind of car accident. It was a shame she couldn't appreciate the Impala though, she was a classic. If she didn't turn out to be some kind of monster freak he would have to convince her to overcome her fear. There was no reason good enough to miss out at the thrill of driving a piece of beauty down the highway listening to Metallica.

Sam had extricated himself from the backseat with minimal difficulty although Dean would usually taunt him about it. Now they watched as Alida nearly abandoned them, nose in the air as she strode towards the diner. It was a small private affair and Dean would have worried about the quality and consider finding a different diner if she hadn't basically run at the sight of it. The brothers followed after her, a little amused as she pushed through the doors without a second look back. She had long legs, clad in tight jeans tucked into boots. She was dressed the same as he remembered actually, except now she was wearing a faded black shirt that had seen better days in under her leather jacket.

Her hair was a tangled mess, and he remembered the dark circles in under her eyes. Was she always that pale or was it because she was tired? She was a redhead, it could just be natural. Her hair seemed a shocking shade too, not quite orange and not quite dark red either. It depended on the light whether or not she was a flame or a ruby. Dean nearly rolled his eyes at his unconscious failings at poetry or some crap. She was sexy as hell, there, that was more in Dean's range. She looked young though, in a way that would usually lead Dean to just wink at her and move on. The mouth on her would definitely make him second guess any thoughts he had if he had gotten to flirting, not to mention the fact that she had effortlessly stabbed a werewolf in the chest and now refused to admit that werewolves existed. And then there was the fact that she followed them. She was obviously up to something. Didn't make her look any less appealing as she strode up to the counter, leaning her head back with a small moan at the smells permeating the diner. Dean swallowed at the unexpected noise, shifting uncomfortably.

"You should have heard her stomach growl, I don't know the last time she ate," Sam whispered to him and Dean found himself frowning. And then gaping at the sheer amount of food she was ordering.

"…eggs, pancakes, of course, basically one of everything," she wrapped up. To the older man behind the counter's credit he didn't even blink. He wrote down her order, fingers steady if slow before holding it up for her to look over instead of attempting to read it back to her.

"Yep, that's it. Here's my card," she told him sweetly, handing him a sleek black credit card with a killer smile. The man returned it with one of his own, handing back her card with a grin as she gave him a small wave.

"Thank you very much, sir," she told him, and Dean thought she was really laying it on thick, but the gentleman grinned at her as she bounced away obviously enamored. She moved to the booth in the far corner, sitting on the outside of the one facing them. Dean noticed her eyes trailed over the front door, and the back door before she settled back comfortably.

"I'll just have a muffin, and do you have yogurt? Then yeah, thanks," Sam was ordering, ignoring the gagging sound Dean was making behind his back. He flipped Dean off before moving to sit with their new 'friend'. He slid in on the other side, taking the window so that he could stretch his legs out and not have to face the heathen. Dean sighed, before ordering himself a substantial breakfast, although it didn't quite compare with hers. Dean wondered if he was going to have to warn her not to get sick. He remembered a time when he hadn't eaten in a week, the money Dad had left them having been spent on an emergency broken arm and the rest on Sam. When his dad had gotten back, Dean had stuffed himself on the pizza, before spending a miserable time puking it all back up. His dad had simply told him to get cleaned up, and warned him not to do it again.

Dean moved to sit in front of her, elbowing Sam to get him to give him more room. It wasn't Dean's fault Sam was gigantic. Alida sipped her orange juice, brought by an overly enthusiastic waitress considering the hour, and Dean gratefully gulped at the coffee Sam had ordered for him before peering at their newest companion. She sat with her back straight, making him overly conscious of the way he slumped against the seat. He hunched over more in defiance, watching the way her eyes roved over the empty diner, methodically checking to see if anyone had come in. Sam elbowed him before barely nodding in her direction to which Dean punched him in the ribs.

"Alida, let's cut the crap. We're hunters, we aren't crazy, werewolves are real, you killed one yourself, and you need to explain how you did that. Is that everything? Oh, yeah, are you sure you can eat all that?" Dean asked apprehensively as their food started coming out, and three plates were places in front of her. Her eyes practically devoured the food being sat before her, and she only paused to thank their waiters before digging in. She started with the bacon, which Dean appreciated, but he could almost swear she wasn't chewing. She took a breath before he could interrupt, taking a sip of juice.

"Yes, I can eat all of this, now just give me a minute," she told him snappily before once more diving into her food. Dean was somewhere between disgusted and impressed at the food she put away, and he took his time to slowly eat his as she made her way through the biscuits and gravy and on to the pancakes. He could practically hear poor Sam's health minded heart breaking as he took in all of the grease she was eating. It would have been horrific to watch if she wasn't so neat. She barely made any mess, and all of her bites were small. But they were quick and efficient, and she didn't even start slowing down until she more than halfway through. She was spearing a hash brown when the wide eyed waitress came to clear away her empty plates.

"Why I'll be, I didn't think a gal as small as you was actually gonna eat all that, my word, you might pop! Do y'all need anything else, sugar?" she asked cheerfully and Alida waved her fork for them to answer, her mouth full at the moment.

"Um, no Ma'am I think we're good," Sam replied with a smile, and the waitress, whose name was Sherry the name tag on her yellow uniform told them, gave them a cheerful grin that caused small crows feet at the corner of her brown eyes before refilling Dean's coffee. She left with the order to just ask if they needed anything else and by that time Alida was simply taking small bites of her eggs, making sure it didn't drip with her little triangles of toast.

"Are you going to die?" Dean finally asked, and she chuckled darkly at the question. She looked over to her remaining pieces of toast, she still had some jam left… but then decided to sit down her silverware to talk to them. She sighed, taking another sip of her juice before looking between the startled brown eyes and the awed green eyes before her. Although they were so different, they had nearly identical looks on their faces, and you could certainly tell they were brothers.

"No, I think I'm good for now," Alida answered Dean's question before nibbling on the corner of her toast. She could eat and talk at the same time she decided, borrowing some jam from Dean's plate, which he glared at even though he wasn't using it, and smearing it on her remaining toast.

"So, you say that you hunt monsters? What kinds other than werewolves," Alida asked, and Dean nearly stole her toast our from in between her pink lips in annoyance. She was supposed to be answering their questions, not the other way around.

"Ghosts, vampires, witches, skin walkers, we've got a couple of wendigos but those are rare, demons, demons all the time, I'm sick of it really," Dean listed, before leaning towards Sam as if to get him to agree. Sam merely glared at him, almost pouting and Alida sat down the remnants of her breakfast.

"You expect me to believe. That you fight these… what, supernatural creatures? That they really exist?" Alida asked pointedly, not even trying to hide her disbelief.

"You saw one last night," Sam offered and Alida's eyes narrowed in a way that made Dean lean forward to catch her attention.

"I've seen lots of monsters. Believe me, I've experienced it, but those have all been men, Sam. Or something caused by men," Alida answered him gravely and Sam hesitated at the look on her face. This was no child, pretending to have seen some bad things, she was scarred by something in her past. This was someone whose eyes reminded Sam of the way Dean looked when he got back from Hell. Dean must have recognized it too because his hands clenched into fists. Alida's eyes flickered to where they were sitting on the table back to his face and he leaned back with a groan, rubbing his forehead.

"What are you?" he asked wearily, knowing without a doubt that there was no way she was human. She had unbelievable strength, she just ate twice what he could on a good day, she was obviously trained to watch her exits and to use her knives, and there was no way that look in her eyes was just from some tragic accident. That hardened, broken, absolutely bare twisted look of someone who had seen the worst in the world and couldn't see through the blood to see the good anymore.

"You just expect me to tell you? You just bragged about your hunting history," Alida told them softly, her voice so low Dean could barely hear it but her eyes weren't scared, but gentle as she watched him. He wondered if she could see the same things he could read on hers on his face. He was captured by the complex look in her light blue eyes, so much deeper than just amused, and hurt, and all too understanding.

"So you aren't human," Sam said firmly and Dean almost punched him for the way she sighed, sitting back and building a barrier to whatever had just happened.

"I'm mostly human," she answered with a shrug and Dean realized he had been hoping she was just a human with a really big appetite when his stomach sank. For some reason he would be a bit disappointed when he had to kill her.

"Mostly human, but what's the rest?" Dean urged harshly and she rolled her eyes, standing up and arching her back as her fingers reached for the sky. Dean jumped at the movement, reaching for his gun before he realized she was only stretching. She raised an eyebrow at him condescendingly. He glared, standing up to face her and smoothing his jacket back down over his gun.

"Look, how can we convince you?" Dean asked, and Alida bit her lip as she stared out the window in thought. Dean watched the way the nibble turned into a gnaw, as her brows furrowed and he fought the urge to reach out and stroke the skin and make her stop. She would probably break his hand if he even tried.

"Show me," she finally answered and Dean shared a look with Sam.

"Oh, come on. I can obviously handle myself. And if I can't and I die, well, then I'm not your problem anymore," she told them, way too cheerful for someone who just planned her death and that made Dean watch her even more warily. She sighed, looking to Sam for help.

"We do have a werewolf to find," Sam admitted and Dean raised his eyebrows at his weak little brother. Sam just shrugged helplessly.

"Fine, let's go hunt us a werewolf. Then you can tell us exactly what you are, Alida," Dean told her, not moving until she agreed.

"We have ourselves a deal, Dean Winchester."


	5. Passed the Test

It was a lot easier to climb back into the car the second time around, although it was still a far cry from comfortable. She felt much better, energized by her breakfast and intriguing conversation, but she was still rattled by their utter belief in the supernatural.

What people called supernatural, she knew as science, but for some reason she found herself thinking that maybe possibly they weren't _completely_ crazy. Whenever people heard about her they didn't exactly have an easy time believing, did they? And yet, here she sat, 120 pounds of mutated human woman with an extra dash of bird, trained to be, in all honesty, an assassin. Stranger things have happened.

Sam kicked the back of Dean's seat as he turned on some loud music, and the loud guitars beating against her eardrums made her silently agree with Sam as he demanded Dean turn it down.

He did reluctantly, with a few muffled curses that Alida could hear all too clearly, and she grinned at the exchange. For men who were basically murderers, they really reminded her of the way the Flock treated each other.

She took out the cell phone from her pocket. The touch screen background was the simple blue screen factory setting. Alida checked her messages, quickly decoding the nonsense as she watched the men from her peripherals.

Nudge had given the cell phone to her as a going away present, a way to keep in touch. Alida was sure Nudge regretted it immediately. Alida required a text each day or else she would call.

And if they didn't answer the call then Alida would most definitely find a way to get in touch. Even if that meant flying across country to make sure they weren't in labs somewhere. Suffice to say that when Alida checked there was a preemptive text, a coded thing never mentioning names but letting Alida know that they were all safe. Nudge had taken over the responsibility of keeping in touch, since it was her gift after all, and so the messages were often filled with gossip or funny stories. Alida was never sure how to respond but they did make her smile.

Alida checked in as often as possible, asking after each member and making sure that they didn't need anything as well as being safe, but she was never sure when she was crossing a line and so she didn't answer every message. She would reply before bed, checking once more that they were okay.

"So, where is this werewolf?" Alida prompted, gritting her teeth as Dean picked up speed. She really wanted to securely strap herself in, just in case Dean crashed this metal death trap, but the thought of pulling the seat belt across her and tying herself down set her teeth on edge. Instead she shoved her feet against the floorboard, bracing herself for the turns and grabbing the seat when particularly nervous. She gave up trying to be subtle about it.

"Will you quit acting like I'm a bad driver? Seriously, you'd think I wasn't going the speed limit," Dean grumbled. He didn't catch the exasperated look Sam gave him from the backseat, but it made Alida chuckle under her breath. Dean glared at her, and she widened her eyes innocently.

"We're going to stop back by the motel, do some research, pick up a few things," Sam told her earnestly but she caught the look the brothers shared through the rear view mirror.

She wasn't sure what it meant, or what they communicated in such a tense look but it made her shift in her seat, fingers trailing over the edge of her boot reassuringly. She could easily reach her knife.

"So, been doing this long?" Alida asked, watching Dean's fingers tap to the beat of the music on his steering wheel. He had annoyingly good rythym, and it kept distracting her from watching Sam's hands for any sudden movements.

"All of our lives," Dean answered, checking his mirror before excellerting.

"Our dad taught us," Sam explained farther and Alida felt her eyebrows raise.

"The family buisness," Dean drawled, shooting her his most charming grin but it didn't cover the way his eyes tensed or his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"Charming. Well, if it makes you feel any better, mine could be considered experimentation via torture. I don't really consider them family though, more like dna contributors," Alida told them cheerily, enjoying the completely blank expression on Dean's face, and the gaping one on Sam's, even though she was shaking so hard she thought she might fall apart.

She pressed her hands against her thighs to hide the trembling. She had thrown them. It seemed like it was really rare that anyone one up'd them on the weird factor.

"So, its. Well. I'm sorry," Sam started, visibly flustered as he grasped for words to explain the situation before giving up and apologizing even though it was the farthest thing from his fault. He didn't even really know what he was sorry for, except that he thought it sounded terrible and the sad look in his wide eyes made her stomach twist.

"Yep. Pretty much," Alida replied flippantly, and Dean looked over at her. For the first time since she had met him there wasn't a pretense, whether it be charming, or joking, or fierce, on his face. It was just bare and exposed and serious and it made her still in her seat.

"Something we've learned from a very good man is that family don't end in blood," Dean told her firmly and she felt her throat clench, mouth suddenly too dry to swallow. He looked away, freeing her from whatever hold he had on her and she looked out the window, feeling her chest tighten almost painfully.

She couldn't force herself to make a carefree response or dismiss it out of hand, the stark honesty he had given her terrifying.

"Sounds like a good man," Alida told the window but she felt Dean glance at her.

"Yeah, he really was," Sam told her and she tightened her hold on the seat. After that they were silent, other than the random squabbling of the brothers as they fought over something or other before they pulled into the motel, but Alida didn't feel suffocated by their company.

It was almost companionable even thought they were now all on edge, regarding each other the tiniest bit warily. Even that was muted, and it should have worried her that she felt more comfortable in these supposed Hunters presence than she did around most people and she had already shared more with them than she had ever planned too. But she would worry about that later.

Right now she was following Sam and Dean to their hotel room, passing her own with a yearning look as she considered the shower she hadn't taken. Now that she wasn't worried about starving she could feel the grime but she wasn't about to ask if she stop and take a shower.

It would be best to just follow these lunatics to make sure they wouldn't get themselves killed, find out what in the world was going on with the Erasers, and then leave before these proffesional killers got any ideas.

"Come on in, sweetheart, welcome to temporary home sweet home," Dean called over his shoulder as he followed Sam into their room. Alida hovered in the doorway, letting her eyes adjust before barely stepping in, frowning at the powdery white line across the hesitated as she saw the brothers share another look, and this time she was sure it was relief as she nudged the line with one booted toe.

"Is that crack? Because if you two are drug dealers on top of everything else, I'm out. Actually drugs would explain everything else," Alida decided and Dean snorted, throwing a duffel bag on the bed closest to her.

"No, its salt. Its a deterrent to certain things that want to come in," Sam told her with a small laugh which didn't exactly comfort her.

"Salt," she repeated in disbelief and Sam just grinned at her. Dean had his back towards her, ruffling through the duffel bag. Alida watched him carefully, eyes narrowing.

"Yep," Dean told her, finally turning towards her. She looked at the flask in his hand, instead of the weapon she was expecting, in surprise before he threw the liquid in it at her face. She spluttered in shock, tasting the odd liquid at her lips. She instinctively stepped out of the door, out of reach of an attack but she could feel that no one followed.

"What the hell!?" she shouted when she finally caught her breath, wiping her face off with her sleeve. She glared at the smirking Dean for all she was worth. He didn't seem worried, raising his eyebrows, pursing his lips and turning to his brother.

"Holy water didn't do anything besides make her more grumpy. Your turn," Dean told him, and Sam gave him another bitch face that would have amused Alida if it didn't worry her.

"His turn to what?" Alida asked warily as Dean smirked. Sam slowly picked up a knife from the bed, and Alida's eyes widened. He held it up apolegetically, making sure not to surprise her.

"It's silver, and its just a small cut," Sam told her and Alida sighed.

"For the werewolves?" she asked and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Others too, but yeah, for the werewolves, smartass," Dean told her, jumping as his brother punched his arm. He returned the favor before gesturing her forward.

"Come on, can't exactly cut you in the parking lot. That's always hard to explain," Dean told her and Alida took a steadying breath before stepping back inside the room. She eyed the blade with disatisfaction but held her hand out for it anyway.

"No way am I letting you near me with that. You aren't that cute, Sam," Alida told him and he gave her another one of his dimpled smiles, smirking at Dean, before handing over the knife.

She took the blade between steady finger, flipping it around to grab the hilt with a smirk of her own as both of the brothers jumped. Then she shoved back her sleeve, hesitating before looking up at Dean.

"Anywhere?" she asked and he nodded, wincing as she immediatly dug it into her skin. She made a quick cut that instantly welled with blood but otherwise didn't flinch. She handed the blade back hilt first and Sam took it with an apologetic smile.

"Well, you passed. You aren't a monster, whatever you are," Dean told her and Alida was trying to decide if she should take that as a compliment or not when he handed her a napkin. She took it in surprise, nodding her thanks and ignoring his contemplative expression before pressing it over her wrist.

It would heal, within minutes. But she held the napkin there until it stopped bleeding anyway. She watched them pack up, motions quick with familliarity and she considered a lifetime of this. It was still a life, something she was trying to figure out what was, but it seemed sad to her. The Flock were on the search for what normality they could find, and she had thought she would as well.

It would be so easy for these boys without the burden of wings or tell tale symptoms of anything strange to just live normal lives, and yet here they were in the midst of strange. As much as Alida wanted to believe they were living in a shared delusion she was almost certain that they weren't. They had somehow come across her world and had spent their lives trying to fix it.

And what if what they said was true? That it wasn't they, but her, that had stumbled across a whole new world? A place with monsters, demons, and hunters with haunted eyes. How could she just walk away from that?

"You ready for your first hunt?" Dean asked, throwing the strap of the bag over his shoulder. Sam put his gun in his waistband, laying his jacket over it to hide it. They both looked at her expectantly, armed and hard and ready for battle.

"I wouldn't call this my first hunt, Dean. Not by a long shot. But I'm ready."

* * *

 **Sorry if this is a little rough! I semi struggled so, I apologize. I will try to update soon, tell me what ya think! :D**

P.S. Thank you to **TheNerdyPanda** to the awesome review! I am so excited that you like it! I loved your review, and hence new chapter!

(Sorry if this is creepy, I reply to all reviews and I just could not ignore the one you left without telling you how much I appreciated it! It would break my heart!)


	6. Werewolves are Real!

She was so not ready. Not twenty minutes after leaving the hotel, Alida lay panting and hiding behind some poor Prius that had already had a bloody man thrown into its windshield. Whomever owned it was going to be very unhappy when they exited the Polynesian restaurant. And really, the werewolf was hiding outside of a Polynesian restaurant? What was up with that, the cemeteries and forests didn't have spicy food and it had a craving?

"Dean, watch out!" she heard Sam yell from somewhere ahead of her and she cursed before rolling out from behind the car. Dean had been cornered by the creature, which was definitely not an Eraser. Alida aimed quickly, knife leaving her hand before she fully even thought it through.

It howled in pain as her knife buried itself into the center of its back and it turned to find its new assailant. It clawed at it, trying to pull it free but it was unable to reach it. Wild gold eyes focused on hers with a feral growl that was quickly cut short as Dean took the opportunity to ram it from behind, shoving her knife deeper in until it met its heart.

"Good aim," Dean told her, pulling her knife free and wiping it off before offering it back to her, far too nonchalant for someone who had just killed a real life bloody freaking werewolf. But if this one was real, then she had killed one too hadn't she? Sam sighed as he jogged up, handing Dean his gun that had been kicked out of his hand during the initial attempt.

They had found it hunkered in the alley, preparing to hunt down its prey. The men had immediately prepared to kill it, but Alida had froze, watching the way it swayed and snapped. Where an Eraser was still mostly human, only gaining animalistic attributes this seemed like its entire mind was overtaken. Perhaps the first one she had met had been an Eraser that had snapped, but this one as well? No, there was something wrong with it.

The Erasers changed, fur and teeth growing out of them almost painfully but it was clear to see how it was happened. If Alida had a PhD in torturey genteticy psycho stuff she would probably be able to explain it. But with the person, creature, for it no longer had humanity, in front of her, it seemed more natural for lack of a better word. Or would it be supernatural?

Alida then spent the next few minutes mentally cursing as she found herself trying to disprove that the thing in front of her wasn't just your everyday ordinary genetic experiment. And that sentence just explained how messed up her life was. If she could accept that why couldn't werewolves be real? Maybe that's why they had created the Erasers or maybe….. Bloody Freaking Hell. Maybe that was really were the 'wolf' DNA came from. It was easier to make monsters you could control.

"Hey! Can you understand me?" Alida had shouted at the beast that used to be a man, earning glares and curses from the hunters as she interrupted whatever maneuver they had been trying to execute to surround the werewolf. It growled at her, and she had strode toward it, knife in hand and unafraid. She was furious. At the stupid creature for existing, at the scientists for being the real monsters, and at herself. At the world.

"Alida!" Dean snapped, reaching out for her but she gripped his wrist and twisted it away from her, moving out of his reach and closer towards the woman now slinking towards her, fangs exposed.

"You can't explain yourself?" Alida asked again, a bit unnecessarily, considering that he made no sign of understanding. His yellow eyes were uncomprehending, only the wary cunning glint of a hunting want there. Alida's grip on her knife tightened, and she raised it solemnly prepared to end it. This was just a killer now.

Suddenly a shot rang out, knocking the werewolf back. It howled in pain and twisted around. Alida rushed forward to meet it only to be surprised as he leapt off of the wall towards Dean, with enough force to shove him to the ground.

Dean cursed, expertly twisting from in under her as Sam moved forward to confront the werewolf but she moved out of reach. Sam grabbed his brother, pulling him to his feet just in time to see Alida repeat her leap off of the wall and kick her in the face.

The werewolf stumbled, knocked to the side before dropping to the ground. Sam moved forward to end this, gun ready only to have his feet kicked out from in under him. He fell with a yell, and Alida leapt in front of him as the werewolf rose.

It met her eyes with a snarl before turning to find Dean moving in as well. Then it fled, quickly down the alley, and Alida followed with Dean quick on her heels. She heard Sam behind her, easily catching up and Alida ran, moving to catch up before the werewolf could find someone else. They had explained during the ride that a werewolf did not play well with others, and that is even if he doesn't want them for dinner.

She skidded around the corner to drop with a curse, painfully hitting the gravel as a trashcan sailed over her head barely missing her. She heard Sam grunt from behind her but she was too busy rolling to her feet to intercept the werewolf's escape to look back.

"Alida!" Dean called and she turned to find her the barrel of a shotgun. She flattened against the wall, and the moment she was out of the way a shot rang out, making her ears ring.

The werewolf charged him with a roar, knocking the gun out of his hand and then, Dean was hit with massive force, slung into the windshield of a little yellow Prius with a heart stopping crack.

Alida moved forward, ignoring the escaping werewolf in exchange for pressing her fingers against Dean's throat to find a pulse. He immediately shoved her hand away with an annoyed grunt, absurdly long eyelashes fluttering as he moved to get up. She offered him a hand, pulling him to his feet and ignoring the scratches and cuts that caused blood to smear over his cheek and throat.

"I'm good, Sammy?" Dean called just in time for Sam to splutter out of the trash bags, a wrapper of some kind stuck to his face.

"This is disgusting! What happened to you?" Sam asked, eyes wide as he waded through the remaining debris to Dean's side.

"I took a little nap, now come on man, its getting away!" Dean told him roughly, but his eyes roved over the bump on his brothers head before his nose wrinkled.

"You are totally not allowed back into the Impala until you have showered, you smell like week old tacos," Dean told him, pulling a face that made the taller man narrow his eyes in disapproval. His lips thinned and he moved to punch his brother, lighter than earlier in care for his injuries.

"Shut up, Dean," Sam retorted before his face hardened, eyes sharp as he raised his own gun. It was so easy to forget that sweet sassy Sammy was just as dangerous as anyone else she had ever met and the look made Alida shiver as she turned to find the werewolf returning.

And then it had went down in a flurry of motion as Dean moved to pick up his gun and Alida moved to intercept the attacking werewolf and get in between the weaponless man and the beast. Sam was getting ready to fire again when the werewolf leapt, knocking Alida into his path and fangs finding her throat in the process.

Somehow her hands came up in time to hold them away, just enough so that they didn't bury into her jugular and rip her throat out. Instead they barely closed on her, digging furrows into her skin before she shoved it off, its maw closing with a snap.

Sam lunged at it, knocking it away from her and bringing his knife up to slice at it but it was too fast. Alida rolled out of the way, moving behind the car to press her hand against her throat and slow the bleeding. It twisted, throwing Sam away as well and he hit the wall with an oomph of pain as all of the air was knocked out of him. It closed in, going in for the kill. Alida heard Dean yell and it turned to find him, following him back into a corner. Where Dean was without his gun.

Alida had moved without thinking, knife moving quicker than they could see, and now the three of them were standing over the werewolfs corpse, bloody and bruised.

"It always like this?" Alida asked, and Sam and Dean looked at each other. Their mouths turned down dramatically, eyes wide as they shrugged.

"Meh," Dean told her.

"Pretty much," Sam agreed.

"Cool," Alida told them, wiping the drying blood off her neck with the back of her hand. They shared a look she didn't catch, a bewildered amusement.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dean asked, noting the blood and she was ready to assure him she was when he stepped closer, reaching to tilt her head to the side. She tensed, stepping back out of his reach and his hand dropped, his jaw tensing as he shrugged.

"No, hey, I'm fine," Alida awkwardly tried to reassure him, uselessly gesturing with her hands as she tried to communicate. She was fine, the gouges in her throat that would have had to be bandaged on someone else had quickly started healing, and were now thin scratches. Dean merely raised an eyebrow, but he smirked at her, seeming to understand that it wasn't personal.

"Alright, c'mon then," Dean told them, tilting his head to direct them back the way they came.

"Let's get cleaned up. Seriously, check those cuts, and Sam make sure your overabundance of hair saved you from a concussion. But I was serious, Alida you take the front seat, Sam spread somethin in the back and don't touch anything. If my baby smells like that after you get out I'm shaving your hair in your sleep."


	7. Runaway Attempt

So, werewolves were real, and the big bad hunters she had inadvertently made friends with were legendary. And squabbled like children. She had to admit that Sam did smell terrible, she wasn't sure what had been in those trashcans but the sad look in his eyes and the swiftly darkening bruise on his forehead made her feel sorry for the poor man. Not so much his brother.

"I'm serious, Samantha, you can use all twelve of your hair care products when we get back to the hotel, but you are not leaning against my upholstery until you have had a shower. Hunch over, don't touch anything, and quit being a whine bag," Dean told him, and Sam pouted, leaning his elbows on his knees and obediently not touching more of the car than necessary. He had wiped down as much as possible before climbing in, but it hadn't helped very much.

"I do not have twelve bottles, Dean, just because you don't care what goes in your hair doesn't mean I can't use nice things," Sam told him, and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Here, Sam," Alida offered, passing him the cold bottle of water she had bought from the convenient store. They had all picked one up but most of Sam's had gone to trying to wash off the smell.

"For your head," Alida told him and he gave her a grateful smile before gently taking it from her and using it as a makeshift icepack. Alida turned to stare out the window, ignoring the knowing smirk Dean was giving her.

It's not like she had a crush on him, no matter how much she complimented Sam it was only because she enjoyed how much it got in under Dean's skin, it was just that for someone who for all logical reasons should be terrifying well. He just ended up looking like a giant puppy. He was so eager to be friendly and his wide eyes were almost too much when he was being earnest and sweet.

"I need a shower too, I didn't get one yesterday. Running from psychopaths kind of wears you out," Alida told them, not letting Dean change the subject to whatever it was he was thinking.

"You still think we're loony toons? Really, you might be the one that needs to be at the funny farm if you still can't believe after you've fought not one, but two werewolves," Dean told her snarkily and Alida fought the urge to throttle him. How was someone so charming and annoying at the same time? She sighed. He was right though, there wasn't really any way to deny it now and how could she after everything she knew to be true? It was kind of hypocritical when her daily life was genetic experiments.

"No," Alida said simply, not willing to give more but it was concession enough for Dean to gloat. Sam gave her a conciliatory smile as if personally responsible for this problem.

"I wish it wasn't true either, Alida, believe me. But it seems like your life was complicated before this, wasn't it?" Sam asked gently and Alida's fingers curled into a fist. Then she shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back against the seat as if she didn't care.

"You could say that. Although, you could say the two of you have complicated lives as well. Isn't it just wonderful we bumped into each other, must be fate," Alida told them and Sam lowered the bottle from his forehead, frowning at the way she seemed to not care.

"Not fate, she doesn't really like us. Tried to kill her once and she is stubbornly holding a grudge," Dean told her and Alida couldn't decide if he was joking he was so serious.

"You try to kill everyone? Ever hear of trying to talk out your problems? I hear it's good for you," Alida told him and Sam snorted.

"Dean is more of the kill the things that bother him type," Sam stage whispered to her and she chuckled at the glare Dean sent him through the rearview mirror.

"Shut up, you kill things that bother you," was Dean's clever retort and Alida shook her head at the two of them. But then Dean's sharp eyes were on hers, narrowing at her speculatively.

"We did have a deal," Dean reminded her and Alida's eyebrows rose. She hadn't thought about that. When she had agreed she had thought she would be spending the day figuring out why the two of them thought Erasers were werewolves and then they would never really get to how she was involved. But here she was, believing in werewolves, and a promise to fulfill.

"Right," she agreed. Dean waited for a moment but she remained silent. He raised his eyebrows at her pointedly.

"That means you tell us what you are now," he told her, and she nodded, but once again was silent. He flicked her in the forehead. She flinched away before she realized what he was doing, but then glared at him darkly. He quickly hid his understanding look behind a grin.

"Can't I get back to my room and take a nice shower first?" Alida asked them and Dean rolled his eyes before agreeing.

"Fine, but then you are going to spill. You aren't a monster or a demon so don't sweat it, we won't gank you," Dean told her and she looked heavenward for patience.

"That is so reassuring, Dean, thank you," She told him far too fervently and he rolled his eyes, picking up speed. She immediately grabbed the edge of her seat making him chuckle and earning him a glare. They turned into the hotel before too long, Dean professionally maneuvering his car into a parking space.

Before they even stopped rolling she was out of the car, shuddering as she stretched in the open. Sam followed at a slower pace, and Dean locked it behind them, watching the red head stride away to a room a few doors down from theirs.

"Hey! I want answers!" Dean called after her and she tiredly waved her hand at him without looking back. She pulled a key out of the zipper on her backpack, sliding it into the door and unlocking it before pausing.

"Hey! You have any extra salt?" She called over to them, as if an afterthought and Dean grinned at Sam. She really did believe them after all.

"Yeah, sure," Sam told her, quickly rustling through their duffel bag to find their container. They always had extra salt. She held her hands up, gesturing him to throw it and after a moment he did, wincing when he threw it harder than he meant to. She easily caught it however, snatching it out of the air with a wink and a girn before entering her room.

"I think I like her," Sam told him and Dean rolled his eyes, shoving his way passed his brother into the room, immediately regretting it when he caught Sam's smell. He scrunched up his face with an exaggerated vomit noise to which Sam rolled his eyes making his way to the shower.

"Of course you do, Samantha, she called you pretty. Now shut up and take a shower before you smell up the room but don't take too long. We need to interrogate your girlfriend," Dean told him but Sam flipped him off before heading to the shower, leaving Dean to flop down on the bed. He picked up the remote wondering if the hotel would have any good channels.

There was a Dr Sexy marathon going on this weekend but after a moment he tossed it on Sam's bed. This was way too easy. The weary eyed woman that he had met at breakfast, the strong scared fighter he had met wouldn't just lay down and spill all of her secrets. He wouldn't if he was in her position.

He grabbed his knife, sliding it back into its sheathe and tucked his gun into the back of his pants. Then he left the room, just in time to see a slim figure jogging away from the hotel. Damn it, sometimes Dean hated being right. Although he hated to admit it, he was getting to old to chase down women, at least that's what he grumbled to himself as he took off after her.

Alida pulled her hood farther down, glancing to the side before crossing the road. She had to get farther away before she could fly, somewhere where there wasn't hunters. Professional killers that 'ganked' freaks like her.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her tense, ready to fight, but before she could turn around a hand grabbed her shoulder, twisting her around to face him. She almost punched Dean Winchester in the face again before she recognized the pleased smirk on his face. She settled for knocking his arm aside, stepping farther away from him with an agitated breath as she pushed her hood back down.

"Going somewhere, sunshine?" Dean asked her pleasantly, as if he didn't just catch her trying to run away. She glared, hold tightening on her strap but for once she wasn't sure what to say.

Oh, I was just running to the store for tampons, do you need anything? How about, sorry I was trying to escape before you found out what I am and decided that I needed to be put down? Since she couldn't decide she remained quiet, eyes focused on him to see what he would do but he didn't seem angry like she expected. Annoyed maybe, but not angry at her.

"Come on, you aren't getting off that easy. You still have some secrets to spill," Dean told her, reaching out to take the bag off of her arm, she considered fighting him on it but let him slide it off her shoulder instead. She could run without her bag, it's not like she couldn't survive without her few measly possessions.

But when Dean threw it over his own shoulder and started walking back to the hotel she found herself following. Perhaps it was because of the way he seemed to accept absolutely everything without a second glance. She had punched him in the nose, calmly helped kill two werewolves, was terrified of riding in a car, and had openly admitted she wasn't human and he didn't seem fazed in the least. Maybe he wouldn't be when he found out she had wings.

It was the slimmest chance ever, and she was already preparing her escape routes, noting that in most of her plans she would end up having to kill one or both of the brothers. But that would only be if they tried to attack her first, and for some reason the small ray of hope that she would find acceptance where she least expected it made her walk back to the hotel.

Intelligent green eyes watched her as she stepped back into their hotel room, and she heard the water running, presumably Sam getting rid of the dumpster smell. She looked around, at the bags of weapons, salt across the doors and windows and even a few symbols were written on the walls. Oddly enough it comforted her enough to sit down on the edge of one bed, and stare back at Dean where he was leaning against the counter in the small kitchen area. He cleared his throat after a moment, heading to the fridge and opening it to reveal a row of beers.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" Dean wondered aloud as he hesitated with the two in his hand, habitually having grabbed her one. She rolled her eyes, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Well, I'm old enough to travel alone, murder werewolves, and learn about the supernatural, so yeah. I think a beer would be fine considering," Alida told him and he shrugged at her logic and handed her one. He was still giving her a limit. She took a drink, before sighing, stretching out her shoulders.

"So, since we are waiting for Sam, how about you tell me all about the new horrors that are suddenly real, and what to do to protect myself against them," Alida told him and he squinted at her for a moment before shrugging. They wouldn't be going anywhere for a while and it would be better to tell her all up front even if it did freak her out.

"You aren't going to become a professional hunter after one chat, but I can tell you basics. First, ever seen a demon?" Dean asked her and she stared at him for a minute before barking out a laugh.

"No, I can't say I have, although I lived in what seemed like Hell," Alida told him but he didn't seem impressed.

"Believe me, you haven't. Maybe we should get you a tattoo," he randomly told her and she blinked up at him uncomprehending his logic. She could tell this was going to be a long night, and they hadn't even started on her yet.

"I might need more than one drink."


	8. An Angel

By the time Sam had come out Alida had given up on drinking to make any of this make sense. Actually it had been when ever Dean had first opened his mouth. The first words had been approximately, fairies are dicks and she decided she needed to be sober for this. It had quickly made her sick to her stomach, her whole world changing into something even more warped and she was so done with this that she would jump off a bridge if she couldn't just fly away.

Well, since that was out, she was pretty sure she wanted to stab something, or multiple somethings, and then go live on a secluded island where demented scientists and demons would never look for her. She was also getting the unsettling feeling that everything he was saying made way too much sense. Her skin had started to crawl as she considered what Itexicon experimenting with actual supernatural dna meant, and what that implied about her. Was she even as human as she thought? What if there was seriously something wrong with her, something genetic that made it true when they told her she was a monster?

Dean had noticed her hands tightening into fists as he detailed werewolves, and other creatures, but she had handled it uncommonly well. Demons had unsettled her for which he was grateful, because if she took everything so easily he would have thought for sure that she was a little mentally unhinged. But when he was explaining the protective tattoos to keep from being possessed she dropped her head into her hands, exhaling through her nose before rubbing her temples.

"I really don't like needles," she said in a small voice, surprising Dean with how vulnerable she suddenly sounded. Since he had first met her she had been fierce, but for a moment she let that go, bending in under the weight of what he was telling her. Her shoulders curved forward, arms across her middle as she instinctively protected herself and she seemed so alone, the pained frown on her face making him frown as well. He moved forward, reaching for her shoulder to comfort her when Sam came out of the shower.

"Alida!" Sam exclaimed in surprise at finding her in their room, reaching for his shirt to cover up. But then he noticed where Dean, and froze at having interrupted. Dean quickly moved away, glaring at his little brother. She didn't notice as she straightened up, confident smile back in place, and whatever trace of fear she had let Dean see disappearing as if it had never been there.

"Hey, Sam, looking good," Alida told him with a grin, but Dean noticed that she quickly averted her eyes as Sam buttoned up his shirt. Dean smirked, noticing the rising blush on her cheeks. So, she pretended to be an outrageous flirt but when it came to actually leering she couldn't back it up, huh? Dean could courrupt her so much.

"Someone tried to make a break for it. And so here we are," Dean told Sam, gesturing towards the girl now rolling her eyes. She leaned back on the mattress, as if she was completely relaxed and was making herself comfortable. She leaned on her left side however and Dean watched her right hand fall to the edge of her jacket. He would bet Sam's left arm that she had a knife within reach. She didn't go so far as to look to the door but he knew she was definitely aware of how far away it was.

"Sooooo," she said, drawing it out and Dean rolled his eyes. Sam came to stand next to him and Dean felt the absurd feeling of a family meeting, him and Sam towering over her.

"What'ya want to know?" she asked, curtailing whatever sassy thing Dean was about to say.

"What are you, duh," Dean told her and Sam made a face at the indelicate way he said it. It had Dean scrunching his own at him in return. What? it said and Sam sighed, giving up on his brother, and turned to Alida instead.

She was watching them in amusement, a slight grin on her face but at becoming the center of attention again she quickly cleared her face of any emotion except for a barely there, pleasant smile. It was actually kind of disturbing to see, and that was coming from the men who faced Lucifer. They had a high tolerance for disturbing but watching her shut off whatever she was really feeling really made it on their list.

"Okay then, right to the point. No small talk, no sociable friendly interaction. For instance, I could say it has been lovely getting to know you and you could tell me the same. But okay then let's talk about my lovely child hood, even though I basically already told you," she babbled, and although her voice didn't climb she stood before strolling around the room as she spoke, letting out her nervous energy. Dean and Sam instinctively shifted as she stood, and her quick eyes followed the motion, before she slowly walked away to give them more space and not put them on edge. She ended up shoving her hands into her pockets as she leaned against the wall to put them at ease. The bed was in between her and the door now but it would be easy to leap across it if she needed too, and neither of them looked particularly interested in stopping her.

"Just spit it out," Dean interrupted her and she rolled her eyes, swallowing the rest of the words that threatened to come tumbling out of her mouth. She met his eyes, suddenly far too calculating before looking to Sam. He wasn't any better. But after she had seen what they had faced, and not even the worst of it if Dean's impromptu lesson was anything to go by, then how could she judge them for being wary?

She could feel herself start to shake, one of the first signs that she was truly close to freaking out, and that was not a good thing. She needed to calm down, or this would end badly for everyone. She slowly let out a breath, spreading her feet slightly farther apart to strengthen her stance, and then just spat it out.

"I'm a genetic experiment. Like I said, I don't have parents. Only scientists that wanted to play God in the laboratory, combine DNA to create weapons or toys or anything else they wanted. They created us, so they own us, can do anything they want to us. We aren't people, we're not human," Alida told them, voice suddenly certain. It only wavered when she explained her lack of humanity, dared them to look at her and challenge what they had said earlier about hunting people that weren't human enough. She might now be on that list.

"You're human, Alida," Sam told her but then he hesitated, not quite certain. He had seen so many things that appeared human enough at first. But Dean didn't hesitate. He stared at the woman standing before them, and although she seemed unconcerned he could see the way she watched them. She was terrified. No matter how well she hid it, behind her brave, certain exterior, she was still haunted by what they had done to her, and that was very human.

"You are. You tried to save us. That, gut instinct that you have to do that even when you don't have to, that ain't a monster," Dean told her to Sam's surprise. Alida watched him, blue eyes almost hypnotic before she looked down, lips tight.

"But I am. I have to be up front with you, I can't keep watching for you to figure it out and kill me. I am dangerous, and I am a monster, Dean," Alida told him, for some reason trying to convince him when she could easily accept the easy decision. She couldn't handle the sudden trust he placed in her, he didn't know, he didn't know what she was.

"Hate to tell you this, but we kill things for a living. Okay, not a living because the pay sucks, but this is what we do. What does that make us?" Dean asked her and she straightened, shoving the loose red strands behind her ears.

"You save people. They hurt people and you stop them, that's, that is what you do isn't it?" Alida asked them, suddenly uncertain and Sam took over.

"Yeah, it is. We hunt down the monsters that kill people and we stop them. Are you going to hurt people?" Sam asked her and Alida immediately shook her head before she drooped back against the wall.

"I don't want to," she told them, and they all knew it wasn't quite a good enough answer.

"Have you ever hurt someone?" Sam asked instead, shuffling in place and she sucked in a breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling it angrily, straightening quickly in a way that made both of the boys tense, prepared to attack.

"Yes. In my escape, I injured many, and I killed someone. Perhaps more than one, and I can't tell you that I regret it. I will have blood on my hands for the rest of my life, however short, but I had that before. I did what I had too, what they wanted me to be-" Alida cut off, and she gritted her teeth against the pleas and excuses that were trying to escape and make them understand. What did she care what two strangers thought of her anyway? But for some reason she was searching for forgiveness in them, for understanding and acceptance.

"Now I have freedom. Now I can make my own choices, find my own life, find out who I am," Alida told them, and she smiled a bit as she echoed the speech an angry Max had given her. It had been about the second month she had shadowed the Flock, every waking moment consumed with watch and protect. She had been at a loss when her new 'mission' had angrily turned on her and given her a speech about making something out of her life.

Alida hadn't known what that had meant, she was protecting them that was more than important, but then Max had softened and told her to go find something more important. Something for herself, something silly, something exciting, something she believed in, and then if she wanted to come back she could. But not until she had discovered who she was as a person, and not just as a weapon

"Well, that's just dandy," Dean muttered in under his breath, raising his eyebrows at his brother as if she had just turned into a rambling lunatic, which she might have done, but his eyes were kind when he looked her over once more, gaze calculating and not the least bit flirty. It was evaluating, the way a soldier searched for weaknesses and strengths.

"So, what do you do exactly, besides eat more than a bear, which doesn't really qualify you to be an X-Men," Dean told her with a disappointed click of his tongue and she chuckled. She loved the X-Men movies.

"Not much, I kinda got shafted in the 'powers' department," Alida told them, using her hands for the air quotes and Sam smiled at her, eyes alight with laughter as Dean groaned.

"We already have Cas as the dysfunctional one with poor social skills on Team Free Will," Dean complained and Alida considered being offended.

"Who's Cas?" Alida asked and Dean quirked a smile at her, eyebrows rising excitedly as he took her in and Alida shuffled farther back warily. Now she was firmly against the wall.

"This will be fun, hey Cas? Grab your halo and get down here, you have got to meet someone," Dean called to air and Alida went back to considering her earlier decision on their sanity when the familiar sound of wings batting the air filled the room. A man abruptly appeared before Dean, stiffly standing like a soldier with his lips pressed together in a slightly irritable expression. His dark hair was ruffled for a moment by the same wind that brushed across Alida's face and her mouth fell open and her eyes searched for the source to see only air.

"This is Alida, Alida meet Cas our honorary angel in a trench coat," Dean told her, sounding pleased with himself but Alida didn't look away from the man as he turned, dark blue gaze catching her own and holding them as if magnetic. He seemed stern, almost imposing in a way that a man dressed in a trench coat and backwards tie never should, and he was nothing like an angel. More like a grumpy bank accountant with the ferocity of a tempest folded within him.

"You can't be an angel," Alida told him, but she felt the tears pulling behind her eyes, senses overwhelmed by the sound of wings and sudden appearance, but her heart was also sinking, making her sick to her stomach.

"I am Castiel, Angel of the Lord," he told her, voice deeper than she expected and rumbling dangerously like thunder. The lights flickered ominously and the Dean and Sam shared a concerned look at the show of power. Neither Cas and Alida noticed however, stuck in a seemingly private battle as their eyes stayed locked and fierce, dark blue deep and ancient, light blue electrifying and sharp.

"Cas?" Sam asked, and the angel looked away, relaxing slightly as he turend to face the younger Winchester with a softer cast to his face.

"What is she?" Cas asked him, and it almost made Dean flinch, the harsh way his voice grated over the words accusingly.

"None of your fucking business," Alida spat, and Cas turned back towards her with a scowl that had made demons flee but only made the girl straighten up at the challenge.

"What the hell, you just spilled your little secret to us?" Dean blurted and Cas tilted his face in his direction, urging him to explain without taking his eyes off of the girl. She seemed smaller now, more fragile under the ferocious gaze of the warrior angel that Dean had only seen a few times. Something had spooked Cas into smite mode but the small thing in front of them didn't seem capable of it. She stood defiantly in front of the gale of Cas' storm, chin high, eyes bright, and rebellious under his gaze. It was actually admirable and almost breathtaking.

"Alida, what's wrong?" Sam asked her instead, worriedly watching her.

"He can't be an angel," Alida told them and Dean sighed in disbelief, seriously, they just went over this, before she continued, "I can believe in monsters. I can believe in demons, and Hell, and even a few humans strong enough to fight back. But an angel," she scoffed in disbelief but her next words came out broken, and furious.

"If you are really an angel, then where were you?"

The room stilled as if her words had sucked the air out of it, leaving them frozen in the lack of oxygen that was her question demanding to be answered.

"When?" Cas asked with a squint, his confusion breaking through his ferocious demeanor but Sam and Dean's hearts constricted. After hearing her earlier, they knew exactly what she meant.

"Where were you?" Alida growled, moving forward in her fury to stand almost arms length away from the angel. He watched her carefully, eyes considering as his grace brushed across her to glean to what she was referring. His eyes softened in remorse as her memories played across the top of her mind, pain and suffering and torture that she had been through.

"I am sorry that I did not help you," Castiel told her softly, and although his voice dipped with sincerity her head tilted up farther in anger, his words seemingly whipping her anger once more.

"I survived!" she cried, voice ringing with strength and Cas looked away as if it physically hurt him to see the desperation strain at her.

"But where were you when the others-" Alida broke off with a gasp that was almost a sob, and they watched in horror as her fury drained away,leaving her limp and full of grief. Her tears filled with tears.

"They were children. No matter what, they were babies, they didn't deserve to be there. If angels are real, then where were you?" Alida asked him, repeating the question in desperation as the tears spilled over, tracing marks down her cheeks until she angrily wiped them away with the heel of her hands, so hard it was almost painful.

Castiel's head lowered, no doubt seeing the horrors she recounted but Dean stepped forward, gripping his shoulder and shaking him firmly.

"He was here. He was stopping the apocalypse, and saving the world, and saving Heaven, and he was where he was needed most," Dean told them and Cas looked up, meeting his eyes with only a trace of relief, but they were filled with so much sorrow.

"But Dean, where were my Brothers and Sisters?" Cas asked him, and Dean didn't know what to say. Dean looked to Alida instead, eyes still red but every other trace of tears furiously wiped away and it almost hurt to see the angry jut of her jaw back now that he knew it was hiding so much pain.

"It's not Cas' fault, okay? Blame the other winged dicks, blame whoever you want because you deserve to. What happened is all kinds of screwed up, but Cas couldn't save them. He was saving us," Dean told her and she let out the breath she was holding, eyes darting once more to Cas before she brushed past them, grabbing the beer that she hadn't opened on the way out. She moved around them, and although the space was small enough that she should brush him he only felt air as she avoided contact, moving to the door.

"Alida?" Cas asked, the first time that he had used her name and it made her still. She had spent most of her life called many things, labeled with numbers, insults, or maybe worse ignored and not dignified with a name at all. You didn't honor somethings name if you thought it was a monster.

"I am deeply sorrowed, and I apologize. I wasn't aware that this was happening. I was not told, or else I would have come," Castiel told her and they saw her nod, before slipping out the door. But she left it open, turning to face them once she was back into the sunlight.

"So, angel, can you fly?" Alida asked, voice still thick and raw from her emotions although she tried to make the tone light. Castiel brightened at her question, accepting the apology and forgiveness that was left unspoken../p


	9. An Attack

They followed Alida out the door, moving away to let her have more room and put her at ease. Well, except for Castiel who watched her far too intently and walked right up to her. His eyes bore into hers as if he was reading her mind, skimming the surface, which he might have been. He was an angel after all. The thought made her shiver involuntarily, rushing to not think about the things that she didn't want him to hear. Which of course made her think about them.

"I do not fly in the way of psychical creatures like birds, my true self is more of a multidimensional wavelength. Perhaps if I tried I could summon a partially physical aspect of my wings although this body was not intended for such flight," Cas told her and she nodded, as if that made perfect sense. She was actually glad to be distracted.

But then she squinted at him, once more staring at him. Castiel was not as close as he was with Dean on occasion, perhaps in deference to her earlier turmoil, but the way their eyes were locked made them seem closer, as if they were having a private conversation and Dean suddenly felt as if he was intruding. Dean looked at Sam after another minute of silence, raising his eyebrows and pointedly looking at them, but Sam wearily rolled his eyes instead of agreeing with him like Dean expected.

"What?" Dean asked and Sam smirked at him.

"It's just, I already have to deal with the two of you, and now Alida does the silent stare thing too," Sam complained and Dean gaped at him, genuinely offended.

"We do not do that! That's weird," Dean told him, jerking his chin in their direction but Sam laughed at him, with a, you totally do that, smug expression on his face that made Dean want to smack him.

"Are you reading my mind?" Alida asked abruptly and the three men, looked at her in surprise.

"Most people do not assume," Cas began but then he evidently decided to change tactics midsentence, "I do not purposefully pry into people's minds. Surface thoughts are easy to discern however and on occasion it is easier to 'read'."

Alida grinned at the use of air quotes, eyes darting to Dean when the angel raised his hands, but then she tilted her head, eyeing the man in a way that was totally not freaked out enough for someone who just discussed his mind reading ability.

"You seem to be handling this uncommonly well," Cas stated his deep voice rumbling over the words and beating Dean too it. The corner of Alida's mouth quirked up before quickly falling.

"I've had an uncommon life," she told them dryly, and Dean grimaced, sharing a dark look with Sam. Her face stilled suddenly, and her eyes seriously roamed over each face like she was considering something before she rolled her shoulders, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

They watched her slightly alarmed, but she didn't seem like she was going to attack, just warm up for something. Castiel threw the Winchesters a baffled look, but in this instance they were just as stumped as he. And then she started shrugging out of her jacket. Was she going crazy? Having a heat stroke? What the hell?

"Why are you stripping?" Dean demanded and she snorted at him, but her hands were shaking.

"Alida, what is it?" Sam asked and she just shook her head, trying to yank off the fabric that was caught on her elbow. She looked up to answer him but then her gaze focused, face hardening as she lunged forward and slammed into Sam unexpectedly.

Dean cursed as Sam crashed into the wall of the hotel, Alida holding him in place with her entire body but then she stepped back, reaching for Dean and shoving him away with strength that should not be possible for someone so small. He pulled his knife at the feral look at her face, lunging back to reach Sam and that was when he felt the bullet slam into the wall in front of him, launching shards of wood and making him flinch away.

Dean looked up from the crouch he had reflexively taken, finding Sam's dark mop of hair also looking up after having ducked. He turned to find Alida standing in front of Cas. Her left hand was buried in the angel's trench coat, and she had a thin blade held in front of her in the right but it wasn't facing the angel.

She was facing away from him, blade before both of them as she tried to shove the Castiel away, farther behind her and out of danger. He was unmoving however, firmly withstanding her attempt to move him as he looked over her shoulder to scrutinize the approaching men. The nearest one was lowering a gun, obviously the shooter.

"Dammit Cas, move," Alida ordered, but he ignored her, studying the oncoming assailants with a small frown. There were only three, a seemingly stupid number in comparison to the four of them, but they seemed confident that they could overpower them even though they didn't use this opportunity to fire on them, a move which didn't seem to be a smart tactical decision.

Dean moved up to stand beside Cas after pulling Sam to his feet, the confused expression on the angel's face worrying him. There was something wrong. Alida told Dean to leave, which both men ignored, and earned them a rush of curses.

"What is it, Cas?" Dean asked and the angel spared him a short look before squinting at the closest man. He seemed average, well, perhaps a little more handsome than average with startling bright hazel eyes, but just a human nonetheless.

"They are not demons, but I can sense something 'off' about them, but. They are human, Dean," Castiel told them, this time the quotes purely hinted at with his voice and a tilt of the head. Alida's curses intensified as Sam came to stand on the other side of Cas, and she bared her teeth in a way that was more of a snarl than a grin.

"I hate you all," she spat in under her breath, finally releasing Cas and moving to spread her feet and cover the men behind her as much as possible. Which was pretty impossible considering that they all seemed intent on standing in the middle of freaking danger, but the approaching men seemed to enjoy their confidence, chortling and lowering their weapons with wicked smiles that only Alida knew what really meant.

"Alida," Dean snapped as she stepped forward, reaching to grab her arm and pull her back but she stepped out farther, moving away from his hand.

"What are you doing here?" She called, and her voice was an angry growl, deep with a threat that made the men behind her eye her in surprise. They had never heard her sound quite so dangerous. The woman from only a moment before, almost frantic with the need for them to get out of danger seemed to be gone, replaced with someone dangerous.

"Aww, little bird, we can't come see you?" the closest man called, his voice a mockery of innocence and concern. It made Dean's teeth sit on edge. His hair was a bright almost white blonde that seemed at odds with the sadistic smirk on his features.

"Well then, hello, it has been a pleasure, see you next time!" Alida responded brightly with a friendly wave. Well, it would have been friendly if she didn't use the hand with the wicked sharp knife. As it was, it made her point, sharp edge glinting in their direction. The laughs came again, dark and feral and making Dean heft the knife in his hand and shift on his feet.

He felt Sam do the same next to Cas, preparing for a fight. Cas of course, was motionless as always, eyes forceful as he watched the men circle closer. Dean's skin began to crawl as he watched them, and he wondered if it would make things better or worse to try and yank Alida back again, closer to where they could easily help her.

She seemed to know them, though, and if he dared move he felt like they would attack and so he stilled, muscles tensing as he prepared to make his move. He watched every look, and feint, as they moved in on their prey.

Their eyes trailed over them but they always returned to the woman in a way that made Dean want to disembowel them. He knew that Cas said they were human, or mostly human anyway, but they were circling like animals, footsteps in sink and working together in a way that set him on edge.

"Oh, you know we can't just let you go, Little Alida. He would be very disappointed in us, and we have been working for so long to find you. It's been years hasn't it boys? Months since the last slip up. Until your new friends startled you into flying across the borders that is," this time a different one spoke, his voice a startling growl that was definitely far too guttural to be natural. He was on the right, farther back and Sam shuffled to face him.

His jaw seemed to shift for a moment, dark eyes swirling in a way that was all too insidious. Dean guiltily shifted when Alida jumped, eyes darting back to Dean and Sam before she shifted to face the one on the left. He slid closer when the other 0ne was speaking, trying to distract her and let him slide close. He stepped back when her eyes fell on him, as if scared to get too close and Dean eyed the woman curiously.

Alida didn't respond this time, face tight as she kept her eyes on them and Dean stepped forward beside her, not willing to leave her out there alone anymore. It sent another wave of laughs through the three, chilling taunts that made Dean smirk. They didn't know who they were messing with here and it would be a pleasure to finally gank the slimy disturbing freaks.

"You know, that was your flaw? On the retrieval or extermination file it said your empathy would be the way to reach you, and I thought that can't be right, I know her. She was the best of us. Quick, heartless, deadly," the last one spoke, voice light and surprisingly pleasant in a way that made his words that more terrifying. Alida's knuckles whitened on her blade and her eyes focused on him. Dean watched the one on the left for her, meeting his dark eyes and manic grin with one of his own.

"You never knew anything about me," Alida spat, and Dean wished he could spare a moment to tell her to calm down, that this is what they wanted but then Sam was placing a hand on her shoulder and she was relaxing into a ready stance.

"But here we are, with your new pet humans. How willing will you be to come with us when we start ripping that tall one to pieces?" the first one called and before Alida could respond Dean pulled his gun, raising it and aiming it at his perfectly surprised face.

"You aren't going to be touching anyone," Dean told him, and then their own forgotten weapons were raised as they took him in as a threat for the first time.

"Dean," Alida warned him and he looked down to find her face tilting towards him although her eyes never left the man in front of her. She wasn't scared. The fear was there, a vibrating tense strength in under her firm gaze but she seemed almost calm, prepared to fight them.

"What are you?" Castiel called over her shoulder and Alida stiffened, gritting her teeth at the reply.

"She didn't tell you?" the hazel eyed one asked, the seeming leader, and his eyes found Alida with a vicious glee.

"Well, we're just like her," he called and Dean felt his breathing stop, before Alida was stepping forward furiously even closer to them.

"I am nothing like you. How about you go home, puppy? Tell your master you failed with your tail between your legs before I tear you apart," Alida told them, her voice an emotionally raw threat that seemed to light the man on fire. He stepped forward as well and now the two others closed farther in, close enough to reach and Dean's eyes narrowed in preparation.

"Or I can take you to him in pieces," he growled, and this time it was a real growl, his throat vibrating in a way that made Dean's eyes snap to his face. It was changing, elongating monstrously as his teeth jutted out into fangs. Fur sprouted from his face, his eyes burning as the irises turned yellow. Dean had never seen it happen quite like this before. Where a werewolf would retain most of their human features, this was more animalistic, an actual muzzle bursting out of his flesh.

Dean watched in shock as the one in front of him started to change as well, but he moved before it could finish. The dark eyes were barely glinting gold whenever he shoved his knife into its throat. It gaped at him in surprise, jaw moving before he yanked the knife out and shoved the dying creature away, the blood gurgling from his throat.

Alida dived towards the leader before the others could react to the dark ones sudden death, her knife slashing but he grabbed her arm before it could make contact, using her momentum to aim the blow away and pull her in close. Sam quickly shot at the remaining man, who burst into the transformation quickly, blonde hair overtaking his muzzle in coarse fur as he howled in fury and went to leap for Alida. He leapt away from the bullet, Sam moving to keep him away from Alida's exposed back.

Castiel moved towards the wolf Dean had stabbed, who he thought had been killed, but who was suddenly grasping at his throat and struggling to sit upright. Cas touched his forehead, and a quick flash of light left him dead before Castiel turned back to Alida.

She had been pulled close, the creature's strength obviously outweighing hers but as he tried to use his fanged jaws to snap at her she slammed his mouth shut with her palm to his bottom jaw, snapping his head back painfully. It made a keening sound of pain, before she twisted once more, grabbing the arm that was holding onto her and rolling it in under her to twist it behind its back, bringing it to its knees as she leaned into it.

It growled, trying to buck her off and she leaned farther until a loud snap was followed by an agonized howl that undulated for a moment as she broke his arm. The other wolf man froze, yellow eyes on its leader literally taken to his knees before they moved to the other obviously dead. It nursed the bullet wound in its shoulder falling back from attacking.

"Surrender," Alida called, her voice surprisingly cool and clear as everyone looked to her. The brown wolf man struggled once more before she twisted the broken limb farther making him choke in pain.

"I won't kill you, unless you make me. So, take this chance, and run away. You don't have to go back. Just go," Alida told him and then she released him. She backed up quickly as he staggered to his feet with a snarl. He hunkered over however, bringing his arm up to cradle it to his chest and eyeing her with something akin to hatred.

"You know we can't," he growled between pained pants, and Dean watched half horrified and half intrigued as his face slowly morphed, sinking and popping until it was the man from before. Alida didn't even blink, staring into his eyes with an emotion far too close to compassion for someone who had just broken his arm without a second thought.

"You can try," she told him softly but he growled, a weak sound compared to the primal rumble from before, and turned to the only one left. Then he ran, the second one following with a quick shudder that made the fur retreat and soon he was just a man again, one with a gunshot wound.

Sam's gun didn't lower however, aimed at their retreating backs, and Alida moved in front of him. He quickly dropped the gun, pointing it at the ground, but he didn't put it back up. Alida just nodded, turning to eye the fleeing men who never spared a look for the one who had died.

Alida turned to him, and if Dean hadn't just seen her be terrifying and snap bones with ease than he would have shielded her from the sight, her face was that heart breaking. And then the expression smoothed and she sighed, running her hand through her red hair. They stood in silence, the moment turning awkward as no one was quite sure what to say.

"Um, so you turn into a dog too?" Dean asked, the first thing he could think of and Sam gave an exaggerated groan, and even Cas sent him a squinted look, knowing that wasn't the most delicate of things to say. Alida only huffed a quick laugh however, giving him a sardonic look before clearing her throat.

"No," she replied simply, eyeing the body once more and Dean realized that they were currently standing next to a man they had just murdered in front of their hotel room. He cursed as he turned, looking for security cameras but he didn't find any out front. He sighed in relief and hoped that any witnesses would claim self-defense. As it was, he wasn't planning on sticking around to defend himself.

"Come on, we gotta get out of here," he told them, clasping Cas' shoulder before nudging Sam towards their room. Alida hesitated, looking back to the man now in a puddle of his own blood, but then she followed, quickly moving to grab her already packed things from her escape attempt. She watched the brothers move quickly and efficiently, tucking things into bags and moving to throw them into the trunk of their black car. Castiel quickly moved to sit in the backseat, blinking in surprise whenever Sam followed him.

Alida hesitated, eyeing the seat and suddenly realizing she wasn't sure if she was invited, or if she should even go, but then Dean's bright eyes looked over and he waved her on.

"Come on, we don't have all day," Dean called and she felt herself smile before pulling open the door and sliding in. This time when Dean pulled out of the parking lot she made the decision to buckle herself in. It was surprising how after only two rides she was almost comfortable in the well-worn seats. Now she only had to get used to Dean's driving.


	10. Friends

They drove in silence for miles, and as soon as they were out of the town Alida realized that she had no idea where they were going. No idea why she had gotten in the car. She had obviously just put them in danger, and sure they had handled it in like two minutes, but their lives were dangerous before you added in Erasers chasing you down. She started gnawing on her lip, her grip on the seat belt tightening as she watched the world fly by. It was a different experience than flying, everything was so distant in the air. Now she was close, far too close.

"Max!" she suddenly exclaimed with a horrified gasp and Dean accidentally swerved at her loud outburst. He righted them back into the right lane before sending her a look that if the world had any justice really should kill but she didn't even notice as she scrambled for her phone.

She lifted it quickly, hands shaking as her fingers slid over the screen and clicked on the only contact. It rang, once, twice, three time, and she felt her heart contract as no one answered. What was wrong, what if they found them, what had she done, and then there was a click and a sleepy voice came through the line.

"Hello?" came the young voice, obviously just woken up, and she squeezed her eyes shut in relief as her breath rushed out painfully. They were okay.

"Hello?" came again, this one slightly more panicked and Alida realized she hadn't answered.

"Hey, I'm sorry I woke you up," Alida answered in a rush, and she could hear the nerves and warmth far too evident in her voice. She cleared her throat, eyes darting self-consciously to Dean who wasn't even trying to be subtle about the completely baffled look he was giving her.

"What's wrong?" Nudge asked, and this time she sounded strained, obviously trying not to panic. Alida swallowed feeling herself calm, and take a deep breath.

"They found me. Three Erasers, two were still alive. They didn't mention you and they claimed they were only trailing me, but they said they had found a trace of me a few months ago? Either way, you need to be careful. Where's Max?" Alida asked, voice steady and she heard Nudge's breathe evening out at how Alida was handling it.

"Okay, I'll round everyone up and tell them. Here's Max," Nudge told her and there was a grunt and some grumbling before a tired voice came through.

"Seriously, you had to pick a fight at three a.m.?" Max asked irritably but Alida heard a flurry of motion as if the girl was moving around, presumably packing.

"Like I had a choice? And it's the afternoon here," Alida told her and she could practically hear Max roll her eyes.

"Whatever, just tell me you kicked some butt," Max replied and Alida felt her lips twitch before she looked at the three men in the car with her. Sam was fiddling with something, obviously trying to give her some privacy, but Dean kept shooting her glances between watching the road obviously not feeling the need. Castiel was fixedly watching her, and she cleared her throat nervously.

"Yeah, kind of. I met some people who helped out," Alida said and she couldn't help the slip of worry that came out as if she was asking for permission. There was a moment of silence and Alida worried her lip nervously.

"You made friends?" Max asked and Alida sighed at the completely surprised tone.

"I think I would be offended, but they are actually well. They thought I was trying to kill people and I thought they were lunatics. So," Alida paused, not quite sure how to explain but Max just made a hum noise.

"Yeah, that's how people like us tend to make friends," Max replied, seemingly happy for her even and Alida squinted at the windshield as she tried to understand the other girl.

"I suppose? I don't' really have much experience except with you. And I tried to kill you, so," Alida told her and Max laughed on the other line, the sound making Alida smile. Max needed to laugh more often, the girl was far too young for so much responsibility.

"Alright, well good luck with that. And thanks for the heads up, do you need back up?" Max asked and Alida shook her head although she couldn't see it.

"No, I'm good. You just take care, I'll text to check in," Alida told her and this time Max's eye roll was joined by and audible sigh.

"OF course you will. Hey, just tell us if you want to meet up, okay?" Max ordered gruffly and Alida fought the grimace. That was just her way of showing she cared.

"Of course. Take care," Alida ordered back and she was sure Max was responding in kind.

"You too," Max replied and then there was a rush through the speakers, presumably the sound of air and Alida sighed in relief. They were in the air, they were warned, and they were fine.

"Bye," she told her and with a short bye the call was cancelled and now she was the focus of two very curious stares.

"Keep your eyes on the road," Alida snapped, but Dean just ignored her, going so far as to take one of his hands off of the steering wheel and pointedly dangle it out of the open window.

"Is Max your boyfriend?" Castiel asked, his voice sounding unsure as he tried out the word and Alida blinked at him for a moment before snorting.

"No, definitely not," she replied with a chuckle.

"You seemed to be emotionally attached," Castiel clarified his reasoning and Alida wrinkled up her nose before shrugging.

"One of the only people I am attached to," Alida answered honestly and the angel nodded.

"Is Max like you?" Sam asked, honest curiosity in his voice and Alida turned to talk to him. His long hair fell across his face, annoyingly well for someone who had just been in a fight and was now in a windblown car. Hers looked like she had been through a hurricane. She couldn't' be annoyed however because the look on his face was bright and friendly, making her smile at him.

"Yeah," she replied and he lit up in curiosity, reminding her of Iggy and Gazzy whenever they found something that interested them. For them it was usually something pertaining to bombs though.

"So, what the hell were those things back there? Erasers?" Dean asked and Alida turned to him. Thankfully his eyes were on the road, although when she started to talk his green eyes found her, watching her intently.

"They were from the School. The place where they created, experiments," Alida told them and Dean grimaced, "so, I suppose they were telling the truth when they were saying they were like me. Erasers are the name Max and the others gave them. Essentially, they were sent out to kill. Erase."

"So, wolf man back there, that's what you thought the werewolves were isn't it?" Dean asked. His serious eyes found hers and she stared at him for a minute, surprised at how perceptive he was. And then she cleared her throat and he turned back to the road.

"Um, yeah," she answered lamely, face heating at the expression on Sam's face. Cas seemed unmoved but he was suddenly peering at the two of them as if noticing something for the first time.

"Look, I'll head out on my own whenever we get, wherever we're going," Alida told them and Dean turned to look at her inquiringly.

"Why would you do that?" Dean asked and she shifted guiltily in her seat.

"If you didn't notice, the attack back there was because of me. I'm kind of being searched for unfortunately, and you are in danger as long as I'm with you," Alida told them, and Dean gave her a stern look, that made his lips curve downward in a way Alida found sad.

"Look, our lives are in danger, basically all the time. That back there? That was nothing. Honestly, if you want to leave us you should, because we probably put you in a lot more danger than you do us," Dean told her and for some reason she felt almost. Insulted. When did this turn into a, whose life is more dangerous contest?

"Okay, look, I can obviously handle myself," Alida told him and Dean clicked his tongue interrupting.

"Oh yeah! About that, your whole Psycho thing back there, are you okay? Because you seemed pretty damn scary," Dean told her, pulling a worried face that turned into a flinch as Sam reached up to smack him in the back of the head.

"Damn it, Sam! Do not hit the driver, come on!" he exclaimed angrily, and if he could've reached without crashing them he would've turned to retaliate. As it was, Sam leaned back, out of reach with a stern glare and a smirk.

"Dean, come on," Sam complained but Alida waved him off. She fixed Dean with a stern lip, quirking an eyebrow up pointedly.

"Considering that you effortlessly stabbed a shifting Eraser in the throat without blinking, I don't really think you have room to talk, Winchester," Alida told him primly and Dean stiffened, opening his mouth to retort but he couldn't seem to think of anything to say. Sam threw his hands up with an ooOOOHHhhh. Alida's cheeks flamed, really it hadn't been a good come back but she couldn't think of anything else, but it didn't seem to matter to Sam. He crossed his arms, obviously on her side. Little brothers, man.

"Fine," Dean relented with a huff, and Alida grinned at Sam. Castiel tilted his head, fixing her with stare.

"Alida, it seemed as if you were familiar with them," Castiel said, and she turned around, wondering if it was morally okay to curse at an angel for calling her out. She decided she didn't want to risk it however, and sighed.

"Yeah, I knew them. They were my generation," Alida admitted, jaw clenched and Castiel shifted forward.

"Your generation?" he asked and she wished he would just let it go, but his dark eyes were waiting for her to answer, dark hair ruffled by the wind, and there was no judgement there, or menace, or much of anything except for acceptance. Just calm acceptance.

"Of lab rats, Cas. We were created around the same time, we were generation H," Alida told him and Cas nodded, eyes solemn and deep. Ageless. She saw Sam's face soften in sympathy, brown eyes trying to melt her into spilling her sob story. She turned around but that wasn't any better, because then there was Dean, steadily looking at her with something akin to understanding.

"I think they are using dna from supernatural creatures to create live weapons," Alida blurted, to distract them from ruminating on her, or pitying her, and the reaction was instant. Castiel frowned, expression briefly hardening into the angel warrior from before, before it faded to simply worry. Sam and Dean shared a hard look.

"Sam?" Dean asked and Sam mouth twisted in uncertainty.

"I don't know Dean. I mean, I wouldn't think that was even possible, but that was before I saw those things. It makes too much sense, you know?" Sam told him and Dean nodded, car screeching for a moment as he took a quick turn. Alida felt the car lurch, and she cursed as she grasped onto the seat, her heart leaping into her throat.

"Dean!" she scolded but he ignored her, revving the engine and she tried to catch a sign to tell her where they were headed.

"Where are we going?" Alida asked, and Dean didn't even spare her a glance as he answered.

"To Lebanon, Kansas."

Dean looked in the rear view to find Sam fast asleep. Cas had poofed off the who knows where a couple of hours ago with the promise that he would meet them at the bunker and Sam had taken that as the opportunity to stretch out and get comfortable. Dean let himself worry for a moment, about the tired cast to his little brother's face, before looking over to the passenger seat.

It was almost unnerving to see her sitting there she was so quiet, or she was whenever she quit arguing, but after Sam had drifted off she had remained silent. Not that Dean had tried to talk to her, but really, neither had she. He had expected more questions at least but she had decided to just accept his answer and watch out the window like some beautiful princess in some stupid tower.

He took the moment to actually look at her again, take in the light skin and bright hair that was a darker color in the dimming light. Charlie's hair had been bright, like her personality and the thought of her made Dean's heart hurt so he focused on the girl now in front of him.

She didn't really look anything like her, which was probably good, because he would have been an ass at the reminder of the little sister he lost. Alida leaned her head on one hand, and as Dean watched her head tilted forward before jerking upright, obviously trying to fight off sleep. He frowned as he saw the tired look on her as well, but he knew she had been too tense to even relax for the first hour, much less get some rest.

It was like she was on red alert, watching his every move out of the corner of her eyes, and tensing whenever she thought someone might be making an untoward move. If she didn't criticize his driving he would have felt guilty for startling her, but as it was she was just being unreasonable. Which he couldn't' really fault her for, he thought with a glower out the windshield, thinking of the men that had come after her.

Erasers. What the hell had they stumbled onto this time, Dean wondered running a hand over his face. It was hard enough to handle monsters, and now some psycho had come up with the idiotic plan to make new kinds. Just what they needed, Dean grumbled, before he looked back to Alida. He caught her reflection in the mirror, and it made his heart clench. She was unguarded, not knowing that anyone could see her, and just the extreme exhaustion on her face tugged at him.

She had been living with this on her own? He had always had Sam, and even when they were separated, the thought that Sam was out there was enough. Alida had Max, whoever he was, the jackass wasn't even with her, Dean thought with a shove to the gas. Alida popped up, startled, and he sighed in irritation, easing off of it.

"Everything okay?" Alida asked, voice a soft whisper in deference to the sleeping Sam. He could barely make out the color of her eyes in the darkening light, but the memory of the light blue made him avoid her gaze.

"Yeah, just ready to get there," Dean replied, and she nodded, leaning back against the seat. She shifted once more, trying to get comfortable but she plucked at the seat belt irritably.

"We'll be there soon," he told her softly, even though she hadn't ever complained and she smiled at him gratefully. The expression was sweet, and he couldn't help but frown. It was like no one was ever nice to her.

"What's in Kansas?" Alida asked, grateful that they had only been a state over. They had been on the road for four hours already, with only a couple of stops to stretch their legs. It had become torture to crawl back into the car instead of taking to the sky to stretch her wings.

"It's a Men of Letters bunker," Dean told her and at her pointed look he explained, "They were a bunch of scholars that collected information on everything creepy and crawly. We kind of inherited the place. It's well protected and we use it as home base."

"Oh," Alida said, and Dean turned to find an odd look on her face.

"What?" Dean asked and she rolled her eyes at his confrontational tone.

"Nothing, I was just thinking," Alida told him.

"And I wanted to know about what," he badgered her, not quite sure why he actually did.

"Whatever, nosy. I just didn't want you to take any of my baggage home with you, but then I realized you were probably use to dissuading followers, considering your line of work and all," Alida told him and his expression cleared.

"Oh. Yeah, don't worry about it," he told her and she nodded, leaning once more on her arm. He looked at her sideways, watching as she covered a yawn, arching back in a stretch. He cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks heat, as he stared forward again.

"Hey, you can get some rest you know," Dean told her and she nodded.

"Okay, thanks," she told him and although she curled up a bit more she didn't close her eyes.

She was still awake when an hour later they pulled up outside the bunker, the Impala quietly purring as they stopped. Alida looked about curiously, opening the door and getting out with a stretch and a sort of bounce to get her leg to wake up. She grimaced at the almost painful tingling sensation, looking around but it wasn't very impressive. She was actually disappointed, having imagined some sort of fort or something.

"Come on sleeping beauty, we're home sweet home," she heard Dean say from behind her, and then Sam was clambering out of the car, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Dean grabbed their bags, passing Sam one before shutting the trunk and heading past Alida. She hefted her own bag onto her shoulder before following, catching his quick grin.

"What'd you expect? It's a secret bunker," he told her and she grinned ruefully, following him to a door she hadn't noticed. She followed him in and then blinked as he flicked on the lights and stepped out of the way, letting her see the Men of Letter's bunker for the first time.

She gasped, eyes wide as she looked around large bright room. She wasn't sure if it was just her, or if it was enormous, but she was in awe of the room, columns supporting the ceiling with a large dark wooden table in the center. It was long and rectangular, meant for many people and to her were book cases on either side, filled with books. Arches opened up to other rooms, and staircases on either side made it clear that this place was huge.

"This is amazing," she breathed, and for a moment she just took it in that they had let her come here. Embarrassingly she felt herself start to get emotional, but before she could do more than tear up, Dean was grinning at her, wide green eyes excited.

"It's our own Batcave," he told her seriously and she had to laugh. He was just so pleased.

"It really is," she agreed, moving into the room for the first time. Sam moved around her, a small smile, before heading down the hall supposedly to find his bed.

"Come on, let's get you settled in," Dean told her and she blinked at him in surprise before clutching her bag.

"I can sleep on the couch, I mean if there is a couch, if there isn't a couch I don't want to be a bother," Alida told him, and he felt himself grin at the return of the ramble. For someone so succinct when angry, whenever she was nervous she talked a lot.

"There is a couch, but you are not sleeping on it. Come on, there are a dozen or so rooms here, you can have a guest room," Dean told her and once again he was tugging her bag off of her shoulder to lead her away. She let him reluctantly before following him down the hall. Only then did she realize that she was going to be farther away from the escape and she felt her breath catch in a panic. When had she become so trusting?

"What if there is a… emergency?" Alida asked, freezing in spot and Dean turned confused before he saw her. HE took in her tense pose, and her totally blank expression before his own cleared.

"Ah," he told her, realizing that she was panicking, "you know, I couldn't sleep without a knife in under my pillow for the longest time. Still do when we're out but it's so safe here, I usually don't bother. Now, my room is full of weapons but still, small steps."

He told her as he led her to the nearest door. It was simply down another hall, too branches from the front door and easy to reach. He opened it quickly, showing her the bare room, empty except for a bed, a nightstand, and an ancient dresser in the corner. It looked aged, as if it hadn't been touched in decades, although the mattress was definitely newer.

"Updated a couple of the rooms, well, barely. It's the closest to the exit, but you will have to put up with being neighbors with me," Dean told her and she glanced over to where he was gesturing. He jerked his thumb down the hallway.

"I'm number eleven, so I won't be able to hear your snoring," Dean told her and she rolled her eyes, relaxing as she moved into the room. She sat her bag at the foot of the bed, actually taking in the fact that she was temporarily getting her own room.

"Thank you, Dean," she told him and he nodded, before up and running down the hall. She hesitantly went to the door, leaning out in time to see him heading back, a blanket tossed over his shoulder and sheets in his arms.

"Here! I almost forgot," he told her, handing her the sheets and piling the blanket in her arms.

"Thanks," she told him with a chuckle, raising her chin to look at him and not be smothered by the comforter. She stepped back when she realized how close they were, having stepped close to hand her the bed things, and at the motion Dean backed up as well, in the direction of his room.

"You need anything else?" Dean asked and she shook her head. He turned around them, walking down the hall and opening his door, but he was stopped from entering by Alida's voice.

"Hey, Dean?" Alida called and he leaned back to see her, hovering in her doorway. She seemed uncomfortable there, not quite sure how to belong but it made him smile to see her hugging the comforter to her chest. She nibbled on her lips for a moment.

"Yeah?" he asked, instead of staring at her, and she smiled, a genuine smile that transformed her face into something breathtaking.

"I really meant it. Thank you," she told him and he nodded, not trusting himself to actually say anything but she only nodded back before entering her room and shutting the door behind her. He was pretty sure he heard the lock click.

He entered his own room with a sigh, running his hand over his face before sitting on his bed. What was he thinking?

They barely knew her, sure, she was a sweet hurt beautiful woman that needed their help. She was also a kickass science experiment, who was a pretty vicious fighter. That didn't really add up to trust, not the kind that let him sleep peacefully and not expect her to murder him in his sleep.

He wondered for a moment about locking his door. In the end he didn't, just slipped off his shirt and pulled on his pajama pants before climbing into the bed. He wondered if everything was all right down the hall. He probably should have asked her if she was okay after the attack earlier, she had already been injured by the werewolves, but she hadn't said anything. Now that he had heard her protest the need for a bed, he was pretty sure she wouldn't bring up an injury even if she was bleeding to death.

But she had handled being by herself for a long time, she didn't need him to come knocking with band aids, he decided with a scowl, at himself for worrying so much and at the thought that she had to patch herself up all this time. He was sure she had been injured more than once, if anything those Erasers had said was true. He turned over, shoving his face into his pillow and telling himself to get some sleep. But when he finally went to sleep his dreams were filled with varying shades of red.

Down the hall, Alida couldn't sleep. She snuggled into the blankets, actually warm and comfortable, and worn out from the long ride, and couldn't sleep at all. She was wide awake, listening to the noises of the old bunker and on high alert, expecting something bad to happen. Her knife was in place in under her pillow, per usual, and she almost chuckled when she wondered if Dean had one under his at the same time.

Really the showdown with real live werewolves and then sudden entrance into the paranormal world should be enough trouble for two days, and then add on an Eraser attack after months of peace, and that should be enough excitement for anyone. But for some reason she still felt as if everything was going to well.

Suddenly, monsters were real but so were hunters and angels. She had been found again, but she had met people who knew what she was, well mostly, and didn't think anything of it. She wasn't the weirdest thing they had ever encountered. That was what was going to well, the acceptance that these men were showing her. Not just, okay you can escape with your life, but we actually want to help discover what is going on.

Maybe even friendly overtures, even thought they had seen her fight. She had seen them fight as well, and they were dangerous. Even though she had known it, seeing them in motion was different and it was almost shameful how relieved she was that they could kill her if they really needed too.

And now here she sat, waiting for one of them to sneak into her room and try to kill her. Or maybe the angel would just appear and end it quickly. She rolled over, curling up into a tight ball. Or maybe this was really happening, and she could just accept the fact that she was making real friends like Max had said. What would that even look like?

Her life was so messed up she wasn't even sure. Maybe it was the way Sam smiled at her, siding with her as she teased his brother. Or the way Castiel seemed to understand her. Or maybe it was the way Dean seemed to make her forget everything else, effectively annoying the hell out of her. She supposed she would find out one way or another tomorrow. Every noise kept her awake, long into the night, until exhaustion finally tugged her into sleep. Her last thought was that Dean would probably be even more annoying in the morning.


	11. Dean's an Ass

Alida woke up blearily, hand wrapping around the hilt of her knife as she tried to remember where she was. She had woken up far too comfortable to be scared that she had been captured, but she didn't recognize the room. She sat upright as she looked around, remembering the bunker with relief. Only then did she sit the knife on the bedside table. She pulled the comforter up around her and just let herself feel warm for a moment before wondering what time it was.

She felt as if she had slept in, but she wasn't sure where the others would be. After a moment she quit putting off the inevitable and finally crawled out of bed, bare feet landing on the floor and making her shiver. Then she looked down at the band shirt and yoga pants she had slept in, wondering if she should get dressed but she hated the thought of putting on clean clothes without getting a shower.

With her escape attempt and then the following events she had never been able to take one at the hotel, and now it wasn't just a want, it was a need. She ruffled her wings, stretching them all of the way open until the muscles in her back stretched and relaxed. She settled them once more with a sigh, reluctantly tugging on her jacket to cover them. She twisted her gross hair into a bun, slid her knife into the band of her pants, wrapped her wire around her bun and then slid on her boots with her other knives in place. She considered taking the others before deciding that would be overkill and then dressed, went in search of breakfast.

She was absolutely starving. Her stomach growled as she wandered down the hall, glancing back towards Dean's room before moving to the large room from the night before. It was simple to retrace their steps and she was relieved to find Sam at the big table, books spread out around him. He was reading them intensely, and didn't notice her enter. She was going to go greet him when she caught the smell of bacon cooking. She followed it eagerly, mouth watering as she went through another archway, eyes darting around reflexively for the other exits and dangers, before settling on Dean standing before the stove.

"Mornin," he welcomed her, setting a plate of bacon on the island in the kitchen and Alida moved to sit on one of the bar stools. He took in her jacket with raised brows.

"You cold?" he asked, gesturing to her with a spatula and she bit her lip in consideration.

"I don't get really cold," she admitted, eyeing the pancakes he was currently making and he turned to tend them. She snuck a piece of bacon when his back was turned, cursing as she burnt her tongue and she heard him chuckle.

"So, not cold, what's with the getup?" he asked the food, and she shrugged. He looked over his shoulder for an answer.

"Um, self-conscious of my back brace?" she offered the lie with a squint, and shrugging again now that he could see her and he rolled his eyes.

"Um, no," he told her and she gave him an exaggerated frown that said Eh, I don't care. It was the one she had learned from Sam and Dean glared at her, tugging the plate of bacon out of reach.

"Hey!" she exclaimed and he would have retained his victory if he didn't hear her stomach growl. She blushed at the sound, and it was because he didn't want her to starve and not that she was so cute embarrassed that he relented, sliding the plate back and passing her one of her own to fill up.

He turned with the pancakes, sliding four onto a plate for Sam before turning to put four on hers as well. He had seen her eat, and had no illusions about her filling up on all of that bacon she was pilling onto her plate.

He mourned their grocery bill, now that they had a second Sam to feed, but it still made him feel proud when she sighed happily as she bit into another piece of bacon. She picked up her plate, grabbing the glasses that Dean had set out and followed him out into the open room where Sam was.

"Come on, Sammy, time to eat," he ordered his brother, sitting down his own plate to snatch the book out of Sam's hands and replace it with a plate. He leaned away as Sam lunged to retrieve it, and his freakishly long arms would have reached it if Alida didn't pluck it out of Dean's hands and neatly mark the place with a piece of paper before closing it and setting it out of Sam's reach.

"Alida!" Sam exclaimed in betrayal but she only sat an empty glass before him before returning to the kitchen for the jug of orange juice she had seen. Dean smirked at his brother before clearing a spot for his own food across from him. It was only coincidence that it was next to where Alida has sat her own before helping him steal Sam's book.

Dean moved the books out of the way, looking up with a grateful grin when she sat the juice in between them, and then she shuffled awkwardly as if not sure if she should sit down. Dean just plopped into his chair, stretching out his legs and kicking Sam's under the table. The long legged moose glared at him, before seemingly forgiving Alida and giving her a sweet smile.

"Thanks, Alida," Sam told her, pouring himself some juice and she smiled before pulling her chair out to sit down. Dean noticed that she pulled it father away from him.

"So, what'd you learn?" Dean asked before shoving bacon in his mouth, much to Sam's disgust.

"Dean, I just started," Sam complained and Dean gave him a look before taking a drink of his juice to swallow down a big bite.

"And?" Dean asked, making Sam roll his eyes.

"Well, there were always the odd vamp or werewolf or other average strength monster disappearing, but they assumed that was the random antisocial hunter. That's the farthest I've got really, just that it could have been happening for a while, but there isn't much said in the earliest records. Alida started eating quietly, evidently put at ease as Sam easily fell into talking excitedly about his research and Dean was relieved to see her relax.

"It's a start," Dean agreed with a nod and Sam smiled pleased, only now cutting into his pancakes. The sound of wings filled the air, Alida's fork clattered onto her plate as she sat upright and then Cas was standing in front of them.

"Hello, Dean. Sam. Alida," he greeted them each before Sam pulled out the chair next to him pulling out the chair beside Sam and sitting down. Alida smiled at him, obviously over her surprise at his sudden appearance, and he smiled back pleased that she was no longer angry with him.

"Hey, Cas," Dean welcomed around pancakes and Castiel gave him a stern look that he promptly ignored. Sam just smiled at Cas before turning back to a book that he had snuck open, reading through a passage with a small frown.

"What are you reading, Sam?" Cas asked and Sam looked longingly at the book before pulling himself away to answer.

"It's actually a journal, a personal account instead of just a record. I'm trying to learn if the Men of Letter's knew about someone experimenting on supernatural creatures, but it might have been after their time. There is actually something here about a spell, a kind of summoning that would be able to make a connection from whatever we have and tell us what exactly they were using, " Sam told him and Cas frowned, eyes back on Alida. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, seemingly going through her and looking deepen in under her skin.

"There is definitely something not human about her, not of this world," Cas told them, and Dean realized with a start that he hadn't even been thinking of Alida as a one of them. They had their own experiment right here, if they needed to do any paranormal tests but the thought made his stomach turn. Alida had already been through too many tests.

"You can tell that?" Alida asked, and her voice was so carefully devoid of emotion that even Sam looked up to stare at her. She idly twirled her fork, not looking up from her plate.

"Yes, I can see that there is something, different about your soul," Cas told her and she looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Well, good news is I have a soul," she joked but it came out tinged bitterly.

"It is a very bright soul. Beautiful," Cas told her seriously and she didn't look away from his eyes for a moment, seeing the honesty there.

"Thanks, Cas," she told him softly and he nodded.

"That was why I reacted the way I did when we first met. I must apologize but it was unnerving to see and it comes naturally to be protective," Cas told her solemnly.

"I understand," she told him with a reminiscent smile, as if that reminded her of someone, and Dean squinted at her.

"I don't really see anything," he chimed in and Cas gave him an exasperated look.

"You are not an angel, Dean," Cas told him and Sam grinned, lips twitching as he tried not to laugh at his brother.

"Yeah, yeah, I think I'm an angel, huh, Alida?" Dean asked her, giving her his most innocent and charming smile. She didn't seem phased in the least.

"I agree with Cas," she told him and this time Sam did laugh. Dean kicked him in under the table.

"Why did you kick me, Dean?" Cas asked, eyebrows turning down and this time Alida couldn't help but join Sam in laughing.

"Sorry, Cas," Dean apologized, "wait, you know what, no. You are all mean."

"Aww, don't blame, Cas," Alida pleaded with another chuckle, and she seemed more relaxed than he had ever seen her, eyes happy and smile unforced. He quickly deepened his scowl, refusing to be taken in but she just turned back to the angel in question, eyes dancing.

"Fine, I'll blame you," Dean huffed, stealing a piece of bacon off of her plate, in reconciliation. He still remembered her stealing his jam, and it hadn't been forgiven.

"Don't make me bite you," she threatened, eyes glinting playfully scowled at him and he was pretty sure the shiver it sent through him was not the reaction she intended.

"Whatever, princess, I've taken worse than you," Dean told her quickly, trying to get his mind out of the gutter, but the way her nose crinkled up in annoyance nearly undone him.

"I want to say I doubt it, but seriously, demons? I've got enough wrong with my head without something else jumping in to take me for a spin," Alida told them with a repulsed shiver that she didn't need to fake.

"Tell me about it," Sam muttered, and her eyes seemed to soften at the pained way his jaw clenched.

"The leviathans were not very fun," Cas suddenly told them and Alida tilted her head at him.

"Leviathans?" she asked, and Cas scowled at the table.

"Okay, this is not happening over breakfast," Dean suddenly announced and Sam raised his eyebrows at him, obviously surprised at his brother.

"Sam's head was messed up, Cas went full out Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and I got to have to a nice little vacation in Hell. But we all made it, we are all here, and fuck them," Dean told them, abruptly, his voice rising in his impromptu speech until he was almost growling a battle cry instead of declaring a topic taboo over breakfast.

They all stared at him as he finished, ferocious glare in his green eyes dimming as he realized what he had just done, and after a moment his ears were tinged pink in embarrassment.

"Dean?" Sam asked hesitantly, and Dean rolled his eyes, jerking as if he was about to get up and run away but before he could Alida suddenly interrupted and he froze.

"I have absolutely no idea who I am besides a killer. I kill people. But that sounds great compared to that, that totally sucks," Alida told them, electric eyes on Dean, but she watched the others still as the meaning of her words hit them. She was poised to leap, hand on her thigh and inches from her knife but no one moved as Dean turned back to face her.

"You kill people?" he asked, and his tone was weary but almost disbelieving and she felt a smile stretch across her face, but not in amusement. It was almost as if she was holding back the hysteria, and if it stretched too far it would break and she would fall to pieces before them.

"I'm supposed to. I did. So, let's do this, let's do the spell, or cast it or whatever you do with spells. I want to know what they did to me. What I am," Alida told them, and then she was standing, pushing her half eaten breakfast away.

"Alida, we don't even know if this will work," Sam protested and she shrugged, not facing the angel whose blue eyes bore into her as if digging around in her mind and finding the worst parts of her. She didn't look at Dean either, didn't want to see whatever her revelation had made him think.

"Well, we can try. What do you need?" Alida asked and then Sam was looking to Dean, trying to figure out what to do but Dean just stood up and abruptly strode to the kitchen without looking at any of them. Sam turned to Cas but the angel didn't give him an answer either. Alida stared at him, eye alight with determination and he sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"IF you want to do this, we'll need your blood. And, I'm not sure what it will feel like, we've never done the connection spell before," Sam warned her for a moment and she nodded.

"I'm no stranger to pain," Alida reminded him with a voice as firm as iron.

"IT will take a little bit to set up," Sam told her and she exhaled in irritation. She was so wound up she felt like she would explode. She went to run her hands through her hair and remembered that it was in a bun with a grimace.

"Enough time to take a shower?" she asked hopefully and Sam nodded, seemingly relieved.

"Yeah, sure, take your time. I'll just go over everything and make sure we have it all right," Sam told her, knocking his chair over as he stood with the book in his arms. He righted the chair, with an embarrassed smile before grabbing the salt off of the table.

"I'll just be in the dungeon, we have a pentagram set up down there," he told her, before strolling out and she blinked after him, floored by the entire sentence. Was this going to be her life now?

"I will show you to the showers," Cas told her and she nearly jumped at the way his voice rumbled, surprising her out of her momentary life crisis.

"Thank you," she agreed, guiltily leaving the table with their abandoned breakfast. No one had finished, and it seemed like it was her destiny to disrupt every moment of peace she was given.

She nervously followed him, trench coat lightly fluttering around him. For some reason being alone with the angel seemed to be a bad idea, like he would be able to pick her existence apart piece by piece and discard the negative until he found that she had nothing left. The silence that fell over them seemed oppressive and Alida fought down the urge to fill it with chatter. What did one even say to an angel? What's the weather like up there?

She clamped her lips tight to keep in the hysterical giggle at her own pathetic joke, but it quickly withered in her throat when the angel abruptly turned around bringing them eye to eye. He was only a little bit taller than her, perhaps an inch, maybe two but with her boots on it was barely noticeable as he stood far too close. She stopped breathing, panic tightening her chest as his dark eyes scrutinized her for a moment.

"You feel like you deserve pain," he suddenly said, and her heart jumped painfully in her chest. She took a hurried step back, putting some distance between them as she tried to calm down.

"You really skip the small talk don't ya?" she asked sarcastically, and his eyes narrowed for a moment, but not with hostility.

"You are trying to use defensive humor to lighten the mood. I have become very familiar with this tactic," Castiel said instead of answering her and she swallowed hard. She clenched her hands into fists to try and stop them from shaking.

"Of course not, I'm not a masochist," she told him firmly, brushing off his worries, but he didn't look away not letting her get away with it so easy.

"Every person in this bunker has done something that they regret," Castiel told her wisely but then he pulled back, giving her a small adorable smile that tried to melt her heart movement after he tried to break it.

"Here is the showers," Castiel told her, and then he was gone, so quickly that she didn't have time to look for the glimmer of wings like she wanted. The burhs of wind against her face made her sigh, wings almost aching with the need to fly.

She quickly ducked into the room, noting the rows of shower heads with a disgusted twist of her lips. It was probably created after the types of convenient showering systems used in the military but all it reminded her of was the white room they would lead you in too, turning on the brutal spray without any regard to how you felt. It was such a mechanical process, they never looked at your face twice or cared about the way you whimpered.

Either a sanitizing stream of far too hot water that made your skin burn, or the freezing water that sent your thin body into shock as they removed whatever blood and grime was left on you from that day's activities.

It was never a temperature in between and the soap was always the same, a burning chemical compound that made your skin itch and turn red. It didn't matter. It would always heal, give it a few minutes and it would start fading, long before the chill ever left your bones.

Alida leant against the wall, staring at the tiles as she tried to control her breathing and remind herself that she wasn't there and that no one would ever do that to her again. It was the least of the pain, but there was something so humiliating, and degrading about the process that made her retreat from the showers into the dark hall and curl around her knees.

She had come to love showers, behind the locked doors and inside the single stalls that closed around her and left her enveloped in a never ending stream of water in whatever temperature she wanted. She would spend as long as she wanted, or didn't want to, and when it came too soap she had discovered that it didn't have to be painful. There were so many smells, of things she had never actually seen, and once the trembling had stopped she had never thought twice of stepping into a shower.

And now here she was, ready to be used as the guinea pig in some spell that sounded more like another experiment than anything, but she couldn't stand the sight of the showers. Alida groaned, burying her face into her hands before pulling herself to her feet. She took a deep breath before striding through the door, slamming it behind her and going to throw the lock, to keep herself in or everyone else out she wasn't sure, when she realized that there was nothing to grab.

There wasn't a lock. This time she gave a frustrated scream, punching the metal door hard enough that she felt the skin over her knuckles split. She sunk against the door, pressing her forehead to the metal as she tried to get her breathing under control again.

"Hey, is everything okay?" a masculine voice asked and she jumped so hard she felt the muscles in her shoulder flare in pain as she twisted to find the source of the voice. Dean was hovering in the door way, hand clasped over his hand, but as she watched a green eye peaked through the longs fingers. He smirked at her, dropping the hand once he saw that she was dressed.

"Shame, thought I was going got get to see something," Dean told her, smirk still firmly in place, but it was somewhat lessened by the fact that he was looking her over with concern.

"Yeah, shame," she agreed but her voice sounded strange even to her won ears, and Dean focused on her face, troubled at whatever he saw there.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping into the room and she reflexively took a step back, away from him. He froze when he saw her and she flushed ashamed, raising her chin to dare him to judge her or pity her but instead she saw his mouth turn down in annoyance.

"Come on, we both know you're braver than that, so tell me what's wrong?" Dean told her and she glared at him, far too overwhelmed to deal with him being an irritating asshole right now.

"I'm fine," she snapped and he rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the door that was so recently holding her up.

"Obviously, that's why you are screaming like banshee having a bad hair day," Dean scoffed and she fought the urge to ask him if banshees were real. She watched him, confidently standing before her and acting like their earlier conversation had never happened. She felt like it was a dark shadow hanging between them, the reality of what she actually was, and what she could actually be but before she could say anything he kept talking.

"And you are bleeding," Dean added, eyes narrowing on her knuckles and she glared, surprised that he had even noticed.

"Shut up," she told him, the only thing she could think of and he watched her smugly, willing to outwait her and knowing that he had won.

"There isn't a lock okay?" Alida finally admitted after a moment of his intense eyes on hers, making her flush and feel like he saw far too much.

"I'll get you a chair to hold it shut, and guard the door, problem solved," Dean announced with a pleased grin, standing up and she blinked at him in surprise.

"Yeah, that will stop the angel from doing his Houdini act," she complained, more in surprised than actual worry sense she was pretty sure he wasn't going ot pop up and sneak a peek.

"Houdini disappeared not appeared, jack ass, come on. Go get your things, I'll grab the chair and some soap. You can borrow Sam's I'm pretty sure it smells like flowers anyway," Dean told her gruffly and she was surprised to feel herself actually smile. She glanced at the showerheads, long row of tiles but this time she didn't panic, with Dean's solid sarcastic presence beside her. He just didn't fit inside that memory, and him being there grounded her in the now.

She followed him out of the room, easily tracing her way back to 'her' room to grab her bag as he went in search of her supplies, before returning to the showering room. Dean was already there, and threw a bag of toiletries at her once she was in sight. Her eyes widened at the number of bottles and he grimaced at them.

"I didn't know what you would want so I smuggled the lot. Now hurry up, I don't want to get murdered if I don't return them in a timely fashion, that is not the way I want to end up going after the shit I put up with. Seriously, death over shampoo would suck on a headstone," Dean told her, not acting like it was odd at all that he had to pass her a chair as she walked into the shower room. She took it gratefully, setting it down as she turned to thank him. He was already leaning against the wall, seemingly patient to sit there and wait for her to get out.

"Um, Dean? If something terrible happens, and the world is coming to the end, and you have to burst into the shower to save me? Still knock," she instructed him and her rolled his eyes with long suffering sigh.

"You take the fun out of everything. Don't worry, if I want to see you naked it will be voluntary on both our parts," Dean told her with a charming grin, accompanied with a wink that sent heat from the top of her head to her toes, turning her face red. She slammed the door in his laughing face, shoving the chair under the handle with a curse.

Then she twisted the knob of the nearest shower, jumping at the strong spray of water. She leapt away quickly, but not before her sleeve was soaked and she sighed. She hadn't been expecting them to have good water pressure, but that should actually be an upside considering she felt filthy. She only hesitated another moment, hands hovering on her jacket before she slipped it off and tossed it over the chair holding the door shut.

Then she stretched her wings, and then everything else, standing on tip toe as she reached for the sky. She felt a few things pop, and then closed her wings, sure the sound of the water would drown out the soft sounds of her wings ruffling. She felt fear sizzle down her spine as she waited, trying to listen over the sound of the water for nay disturbance outside the door but it seemed quiet.

And now with her wings exposed, she didn't even blink at stripping down. Her wings were the most private part of her anyway, and she could stare someone down naked if only her wings weren't on display to be torn apart. Well, she was pretty sure that was a lie, considering the fact that she had never been naked in front of anyone who wasn't holding a scalpel but the thought was there. She stepped into the water, holding her breath and trying to bury those thoughts far away but the flashbacks from earlier and her sudden exposure in such a large space made it hard for her to push the fear away.

"Dean?" she hesitantly called, before immediately regretting it, and in the moment after she hoped it was too quiet for him to hear but then he replied, making her squeeze her eyes shut in mortification.

"Yeah? Everything okay?" he asked, voice muffled by the door and the running water but she could make it out.

"Yeah! Yeah, it's good," she replied immediately, voice over bright as she grabbed the first bottle she could find and immediately started scrubbing her hair.

"If you want company you only have to ask," she heard half shouted through the door, and she could easily imagine the leeri-sh smirk on his face.

"Shut up, Winchester," she yelled back and she swore she could hear him laugh before he fell quiet again. She rinsed her hair out quickly, eyes firmly in front of her instead of darting around the large room.

"So, you have extra body parts or something?" Dean called once more and she dropped the bottle in her hand. She cursed as she dove for it, slipping in the conditioner now sprayed on the floor.

"Like what?" she asked wildly, trying to sound offended instead of panicked.

"I don't know, I just saw those creeps turn into dogs. You could have tentacles, or teeth you know where," he told her suggestively and she snorted, blushing furiously.

"Or you might now have a you know where, you could have a man's you know what," Dean continued and she nearly died right there.

"Seriously, you can just not," she told him firmly, now rushing to scrub her body and get clean so she could escape from this interrogation that took a wildly wrong turn.

"Hey! I thought you could just use the conversation, and a man gets curious," Dean told her and she was so glad there was door, not only to hide her embarrassment but so that she wouldn't give into the urge to strangle him.

"Dean Winchester, if you keep talking, I swear I will murder you," she threatened him, punctuating her words with the stark silence as she shut off the water. She started toweling off quickly, pleased at the silence when he just had to keep talking.

"I mean, it's totally fine if you do, I just wanna know," he told her and she pulled on her clothes with unneeded force, tugging both arms through her jacket and punctuating each of her words with a violent tug of cloth.

"I. Will. Murder. You," she snarled, finally shoving the chair aside to fling the door open and fix the handsome man with her most dangerous glare. He only grinned down at her, amused at the dripping woman now fixing him with a look more fitting on a tiger than a soaked kitten.

"Okay, okay, but if you feel the need to clear the air," he told her pointedly, holding his hands up harmlessly and she practically growled at him.

"I do not have tentacles, or teeth, or man parts, so just shut it before give into the urge to break your pretty face," Alida told him harshly but his lips twitched into a pleased smile.

"What?" she demanded, thrown by his happy expression and it just made him grin wider.

"You think I'm pretty," Dean told her with a wink and she shut her eyes in the clearest pained expression of someone praying for patience not to physically injure someone.

"Um, is she okay?" Sam asked, coming down the hallway and Alida glared at him as well, perfectly fine with sharing her wrath before she maimed someone and he held up his hands in an echo of his brother.

"Woah, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Sam told her quickly but then his face crumpled in confusion, tilting his head to sniff the air.

"Is that my shampoo?"


	12. Connections

**So sorry about that! I don't know why it does that, but thank you lovely guest for telling me :)**

 **I'm glad you care, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Alida ignored the water droplets still clinging to her skin as she stared at the pentagram, surrounded by symbols. It was seemingly a permanent fixture in the dungeon. Yes, that sentence just happened, and she wasn't freaked out, because her life was such a normal experience before this. Sam had sat to spreading the pixie dust, or unicorn tears, or whatever he had pulled together for this 'spell' and Alida just watched him in a sort of calm fog. She was sure if she stopped to think about the freaking _chains_ in the room with her then she would probably have a panic attack and so she focused on what Sam was doing instead.

Castiel observed patiently, not bothered by whatever was going on, so Alida took that as a hopeful sign that she wasn't about to be given to Cthulhu as a virgin sacrifice, although, she hadn't known the angel long. He might be into that kind of thing for all she knew.

"You look like your about to pass out," Dean told her, ever the gentlemen, and she looked over to where he was preparing the knife. Yes, the three inch blade was going to be considered a knife because if she called it a dagger or, more like a mini sword, than it would make this far too bizarre. And yes, that was what they were going to be getting her blood with. She really knew how to pick her friends.

"How does this work again?" Alida asked, for maybe the third time because for some reason the magic rules wasn't really sticking. Now, if you were going to say that her genetic material was going to be collected and then spliced as they focused on specific genes to make her more tractable and pain resilient then she could probably follow, and say, yeah, that kind of makes sense in a warped twisted kind of way. Tell her that you were going to sprinkle some of her blood on a pentagram and magically connect her with her soul donor because _reasons_ and she became a little lost. She didn't think it was really her fault.

"Look, you put your blood in the dish, Sam adds the ingredients and reads some fancy Latin and we hope whatever shows up is more in the unicorn department than the vampire. That's it," Dean told her, looking to the side and tilting his head before adding, "hopefully."

"Hopefully, right," Alida repeated. She shook her arms, bouncing in place to get some of the nervous energy out. Dean watched as she took some deep breaths, spreading her feet shoulder width apart and getting into ready position like a professional fighter.

"Wait, unicorns are real?" she asked startled, looking up as she just realized what he had said, and Sam groaned from across the room.

"No! Are you happy now that you've crushed someone else's dreams, Dean?" Sam asked with a real bitch face and Dean flipped him off, eyes still on Alida. She grinned however, not looking crushed in the least. She had left her hair down after her shower, and it was longer than he expected, down to the middle of her back. It was still damp and it was starting to wave slightly.

"Hey, if something feels wrong, you say and we end this," Dean told her firmly, and she nodded absentmindedly. He reached out for her instinctively, gripping her forearm to get her attention and she froze looking up wide eyed. He cursed himself for forgetting that she was would be scared but didn't let go.

"I mean it, we don't know what this is going to be like. Tell us if you need out," Dean told her, and there wasn't a trace of a joke on his face. It was hard and serious and he stared at her as if willing her to listen with just his intensity.

"Okay, I will," she agreed quietly and satisfied he let her go. He went to talk to Cas and to escape the surprised way she stared at him.

"You ready to get your smite on?" Dean asked him and Cas looked at him seriously, ignoring the obvious opening for complaint, and instead staring over his shoulder at Alida. She had returned to stretching, trying to calm down, and Dean followed Cas' worried gaze.

"What is it?" Dean asked him, the usually unshakable angel's worry was infectious and Dean was suddenly dreading the spell before Cas had even said anything.

"My reaction when I sensed her presence was so strong because of what she is created from, and it bothers me that I cannot discern what it is. Are we sure we even want to contact it, Dean?" Castiel asked him but before Dean could answer Sam was ready.

"Okay! You want to do it right?" Sam was asking Alida and she deftly plucked the dagger out of his hands, working up the sleeve on her left arm.

"Sam," Dean called and he was turning to look at him as she slid she blade across her skin, and the blood was flowing freely down her arm.

"Alida!" Sam exclaimed at the deep cut but she shook off his worry, moving to the dish.

"It'll heal up too quick if it's not deep enough," she explained, and although she didn't sound as if she was in pain her skin seemed tight around her mouth as she pressed the wound, pouring the dark liquid into the bowl. Dean quickly stripped off his outer shirt, wadding it up and striding over to where she was now cradling the arm against her chest.

"Here," he told her gruffly, gently tugging it away and pressing the cloth over her arm to stop the bleeding.

"Thanks, it'll stop in a minute I just didn't want to get it all over the floor. But hell, now I'm staining you shirt, I'm sorry," Alida apologized, plucking at the shirt before realizing that it was far too late to save it now as the blood seeped through the thin fabric.

"Don't apologize about a freaking t-shirt, you almost cut your arm off," Dean snapped and her eyebrows rose at his tone.

"Well, excuse me, I'm sorry my voluntary blood contribution wasn't executed to your expectations," Alida told him witheringly and Dean glared, the look somewhat conflicted considering the fact that she was still holding her bleeding arm.

"Come on, guys," Sam complained, tossing the last of the ingredients into the still warm blood before he started to chant, in a language Alida had never heard. He was obviously used to it however for he spoke the words rhythmically and with ease.

She listened to the rhythmic words, trying to figure out if the strange way she felt was the loss of blood or just anxiousness when he started getting louder and she flinched at the onslaught of sensation. At first it was just a feeling behind her eyes, but it was soon growing, like a tug below her sternum, tied to something deep within her and the harder it pulled the worse the feeling grew until it was almost painful. Soon she realized she was having trouble breathing.

"Alida?" Dean asked, voice raising in a panic as he noticed her go pale. Her breathing slowed, turning shallow and painful and she didn't answer him. He grabbed the side of her face to make her look at him and she realized she couldn't get herself to respond but then he was staring into her eyes. The physical sensation of his palm against he skin settling her.

"It's working," she muttered, but he didn't seem to care as he brought up his other hand to frame her face and make her focus on him.

"Hey, stay with me, what's wrong?" he asked, and she realized that although she could barely hear him, he was really close. His eyes actually had brown in them, a light color that shaded into the green beautifully. She tried to smile at him but it turned into a gasp as Sam stopped, and the tug in her chest wasn't just painful but agonizing.

"Alida?" Sam asked, but she moaned out an objection, head pounding. Suddenly she wasn't here anymore, she was back there, and the hands on her face were to hold her in place, to keep her from wincing away as they drilled. Drilled into her head, why didn't they stop, she was begging them to stop!

"I stopped! I stopped I swear!" Sam was telling her, but she didn't hear him through the noise in her head, and she curled into herself, bringing her hands up to her head in an effort to stop the pain. Dean lowered her slowly, grabbing her arms in horror to keep her from clawing at her face but that only made her jerk away from him, try to fight him off.

And then she was gasping, eyes opening far too wide, as she gasped at the air like a drowning person breaking the surface.

"Sam, finish it," she croaked, and Sam immediately objected but then Cas was there, letting her lean back against him and soon he was cradling her to his chest. Sam and Dean stared, dumbfounded as the angel placed a hand over her forehead, obviously trying to heal the pain but the scowl on his face was answer enough as to why she was still whimpering. It wasn't working.

"Sam, it's started, and whatever it is wants through. It won't let her go, you have to finish it," Castiel ordered him and Sam flew to his feet, grabbing the book that he had dropped once he heard Alida cry out. Now she was unnaturally noiseless, trembling in Castiel's arms and jerking against his hold but she didn't make a sound. It was almost worse to watch her agony, and see her remain silent. No matter her torment, she wasn't allowed to make any noise.

"It will be okay, just hold on, just a little bit more," Dean reassured her, reaching out to take her hand. Her fingers tightened on his painfully but he didn't let go. He held on, and soon Sam's voice filled the room, joining Dean's whispered watched helplessly as she writhed, and the moments crawled by like an eternity as he watched her in pain. And then it was silent and Dean breathed out in relief as Alida relaxed in Cas' arms, eyes fluttering open. They met Dean's for a moment, scared and relieved and so tired. Dean smiled at her.

"Dean," The sound of Sam's voice brought him to his feet, reaching for his gun as he turned to face his brother and whatever they had summoned.

A man stood in the Devil's trap, a neat suit and trimmed beard making him appear like some kind of high class businessman. He was somewhere between plain and handsome, just enough to get you to like him but not be overwhelmed. But the bright white grin that he gave them was deadlier than a shark's and Dean never doubted for a moment that this was not what they were hoping for.

"Not who you wanted? I always hate to disappoint," the man told them, and he had a smooth polished voice, unerringly correct in what they were thinking. He seemed honestly upset, the way an actor would play his part and Dean felt his teeth set in edge at the sight of him.

"Aw, the Winchesters. I would feel honored, but I'm not here for you. There you are," he announced, voice deepening possessively as his eyes fell on Alida and she shoved herself to her feet, swaying the slightest bit. Cas rose beside her, fierce gaze on the man but he didn't even spare a look for an angel. That caused Dean's mind to blank for a moment in sheer panic. The man's gaze burned as he stared at Alida. What the hell was this guy that the Winchesters didn't cause him worry and he full out ignored an angel?

"Who are you?" Alida demanded, and Dean was surprised by the strength in her voice, although it sounded like she had to drag the words out over strained bruised vocal cords.

"You don't know?" he asked, and he honestly look surprised before he threw his head back and laughed. The sound was nasty and vicious. Alida shivered, stepping forward to talk to him and Dean reached out to stop her before she stepped into the pentagram. She spared a look down before looking back up to the man, expression hard.

"What are you?" She demanded this time and his smile flickered into a smirk, reaching out as if to caress her face. She didn't flinch away, and his hand was stopped mere inches from touching her skin.

"He thought you knew. What a disappointment, but I suppose there will be time for that later, won't there? First, we must get you out of here. Can't have a family reunion around the Winchesters, they always die," the man told them with an arched brow and then he grinned, a too wide smile that turned into a snarl as his eyes flickered black. Alida gasped as the entire eye turned into a black void, emptiness where there should be a man and Dean's hand clasped her arm and pulled her back.

"It's a demon," he growled, tugging her away and she swayed on her feet, thrown off balance. He pulled her into his side, steadying her without taking his eyes off of the demon now watching them with a sadistic smile.

"It can't get out," Dean promised her but then the thing laughed again, eyes once more on Alida. She felt it stare into her eyes, into her head and she felt herself falling into the darkness.

"Don't be so sure, Winchester," it warned, eyes flickering to capture Dean's gaze and Dean snarled, raising his gun to shoot the fugly bastard in the face when it looked back to Alida, and the look on its face made him hesitate.

"We all know one of us doesn't have a protection mark. She brought me here after all, we even have a connection that this little trap won't stop," he told them and Dean closed his finger over the trigger one second too late. He was already a mist, roaring from the poor man's mouth when Dean's bullet buried itself in his head, dropping the body to the ground, but then the mist was impossibly over the trap and Alida was arching in under the onslaught, mist pouring down her throat and turning her eyes black in his arms.

"NO!" Dean shouted, arms tightening around her as if that could stop the possession but she was already straightening, no, not her, but the demon as she shoved him away, throwing him into the wall so hard he saw the sparks of agony shoot across his vision in white sparks.

Then she was walking forward, a slinking, predatory motion that he had never seen Alida use before she was crouching in front of him, familiar sadistic smirk on her curved lips and black eyes watching Dean struggle upright. Cold fingers gripped his chin, tilting his head back to look up at him and then Dean was face to face with the demon in Alida's body.

"Oh, isn't this a perfect fit. She was made to kill you know, enjoys it even," Alida's voice purred, only it was wrong and it made Dean want to strangle the thing stealing her body and using her voice.

"I wouldn't move, Angel. Not unless you want this hunter's neck snapped, and your pretty little friends head fried before I slip back out. Same goes for you hunter number two," the demon announced, Alida's voice cold and sharp in a feral way that made Cas stop his approach. Sam stopped by his side, wide frantic eyes on Dean.

"Oh, what's this?" the demon suddenly asked, eyes widening in surprise and the demonic blackness flickered away to leave Alida'as eyes as it arched her back. Its free hand moved to trail up under her jacket, trailing down her back with an astounded gasp. Dean watched in confusion as it laughed again, and this time it was almost maniacal. It was so much worse to see Alida's sky colored eyes, chilled and soulless.

"Let her go," Dean grunted and the demon's looked back to Dean in surprise as if it had forgotten he was there.

"You know I can't do that. Have places to be, and there are just so many delicious memories inside her head to hold me in here for a good long time. Little Winchester shouldn't have cast that spell, connections are so much stronger than you think. Especially when you have this much pain to hold onto. Want to hear about my favorite so far?" the demon asked him, mouth pursing in sadistic excitement and Dean struggled to get away. It easily lifted him, grabbing him by the throat, and slamming him back against the wall with enough force to make Dean gasp.

"I like this very much! Let's talk about this strength that is going to be put to such a good use. Do you know how they tested her limits? They made her fight, made her fight back, made her break bones and rend flesh of little kiddies, just like her. And if she didn't they would start the punishment," the demon shuddered at this, but not in revulsion, almost in enjoyment like it couldn't believe someone had thought of it and Dean's stomach turned in disgust.

"So, she learned not to care. To keep fighting, to not give in, to fight until she gave out, poor little ducky, even then she was punished. What good is a weapon if they collapse when they have nothing left? It was fight or die. I'll show you. But you won't survive," the demon promised, fingers digging into Dean's flesh and making him gag but then it hesitated, face flickering before Dean's eyes.

"What?" it asked and Dean watched in confusions as the pressure on his neck lessened and its eyes turned black again, taking its hold over her face.

"No," it said in a hiss, and then the flicker was back, blue eyes returning for the briefest moment before Alida's face crumpled, facing and internal battle.

"No," she said again, but this time it was Alida's voice, and then the demon was back snarling at the air. Her face froze, almost seizing as expressions flickered over it grotesquely and then Alida was back, agonized and terrified. And furious. Blood started seeping from her nose, dripping over her chin but she didn't notice as she fought the demon for possession of her mind and body. Her eyes were so bright they almost seemed to glow for a moment before she squeezed them shut.

"You can't fight me," her voice snarled, but it was the demon's words once more and then her throat convulsed, hands curling into claws as her muscles tensed and bulged.

"You are the one who said it," Alida forced out, painfully spitting out the words as everyone else helplessly watched on.

"It was fight or die," Alida reminded it and then she was screaming, a loud high pitched sound that sent chills straight up Dean's back and made him want clasp his hands over his ears or anything to just make it stop. It was agonized and heart wrenching and he moved for her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her still as she continued to scream, body tensed and rocking. And then she collapsed into his arms, and he pressed her close against him as she trembled.

"Cas," she tried but his name got stuck in her throat, falling to pieces around her shredded vocal cords but somehow Dean seemed to understand.

"Cas!" he barked and Castiel immediately moved forward, hand going to rest on her forehead and the bright glare of his grace made Dean squint but he refused to look away and then she arched once more, mouth opening to expel the black mist of the demon. She went slack, head falling back and she dead weight in his arms. The mist dove once more, towards the body but then Sam was reciting the exorcism, expelling it as Dean lowered Alida's body to the ground.


	13. Honesty

"Alida! Alida, you have to wake up," she heard someone telling her but she pushed them away, falling back into the painless void where she was. They couldn't make her come back. Not this time, no matter what they did too her, this time she was too far gone and they would never hurt her again. It was dark but it wasn't scary. Just empty and painless, it was so so nice to just let go. She didn't want to go back, it hurt far too much there. She could already feel the panic clawing at her as the voice came again, yanking her back towards consciousness.

"Alida, please, come on, please," she heard this time and she frowned because no one ever said please, no one ever sounded so worried about her. It woke her up a little too much, this confusion and the next time she recognized his voice, the deep gruff sound that made her want to wake up and glare at him, but something was wrong. He shouldn't sound this sad, so worried. She was worrying him.

"Dean?" she asked, confused and concerned and she opened her eyes to tell him to stop it, that she was okay, she was better than okay, but she only got a quick glimpse of wide panicked eyes before she was crushed to his chest, pulled tight in his arms.

She lost her breathe for a moment, surprised and disoriented, but then before he could let her go she was hugging him back, holding on almost a little too tight. He felt her tremble against him as she pressed her face into his shoulder and if he was surprised he was also far too relieved that she was okay to push her away.

"God dammit, don't you ever do that again, that was so stupid," he scolded her, but his hands were gentle where he held her waist and the other one supported her back. She stiffened as she realized it, freezing as she realized that if he moved his hand a little bit to the left he would have felt the bump in under her jacket, he would've have known that something was wrong with her. He would have pushed her away.

"You okay?" he asked, voice almost vulnerable, but she was already moving away from him and his hands tightened for a moment before letting her go. She saw a glimpse of his face, concerned and almost hurt, before it shut down and he was left with a stern look as he watched her sit up on her own.

"I'm fine," she told him and he snorted, pointedly looking her over, from the rats nest of her hair, self inflicted scratches to her temples, the blood drying down her chin and over her shirt, to the scrapes on her hands. Luckily her arm had scabbed over at a super human speed, or else she probably would have bled out.

"You are not fine," he told her and she straightened with a glare, although inwardly she winced in pain, drawing in like a wounded animal. She could still feel it, feel the demon in her head, ruffling through mind and moving her around against her will. It was like her worst nightmare had come real, and just the memory made her stomach turn violently.

"I'm always fine," she snapped and he sat back on his heels at the venom in her voice.

"Come on, here," Sam was suddenly telling her, handing her a rag to wipe off the blood and holding out a hand, and she flushed as she realized she hadn't even realized that he was there. She took the offered hand slowly, not wanting to admit that she couldn't get up on her own, but unwilling to hurt him and make him lose the sincere look of compassion on his face. He slowly helped her to her feet, and Dean stood quickly, crossing his arms.

"I think everyone just needs to rest, and we'll regroup after we figured out what happened, okay?" Sam told them sternly, like the gentle parent having to separate too squabbling children.

"I'm okay," Alida insisted but Sam gave her an annoyed look that made her glare.

"Just go rest, okay?" Sam said again, and this time it was more of an order than a suggestion.

"Fine," she snapped and he nodded, pleased, but when she went to stomp past both of the irritating brothers, the world twisted. The floor swelled up to meet her, like a giant wave on the ocean, but then someone was grabbing her arm. She instinctively snapped, trying to escape the hold on her and she wrenched out of the hold, twisting to face her attacker, but then everything went black, and she felt her knees give out.

"Damn it, Alida!" Dean exclaimed, having automatically backed up when she twisted away from him but now he dove to catch her before she passed out. He grabbed her shoulders, hitting his knees at the same time as her and he felt the jolt of pain that told him he would regret it later, but then she was blinking at him, focusing on his face and he only felt relieved.

"What the hell did that asshat do to her, Cas?" Dean demanded and then Cas was pressing his fingers to her temple, making her flinch.

"I don't understand it," the angel growled, but it wasn't at her. It was just so infuriating and disconnecting to not understand what was happening with her, and nothing about her ever made any sense. Dean's grip still tightened on her, as if to reflexively protect the vulnerable woman.

"I'm fine!" she protested again, but this time when three pairs of disbelieving eyes turned on her she wilted in under their understanding, "I probably just need to lie down."

Sam smirked in triumph at her admission and she stuck her tongue out at him, a childish habit she picked up from Gazzy and Angel. It made him laugh however and she felt a grin struggle on her lips before it fell, too tired to hold it for very long. She was so weary.

"Here, you can't walk on your own, so shut up," was Dean's only grumpy warning before he was sliding his arms around her and surging to his feet. He stumbled for a moment, but only because he was thrown off by how much she actually _didn't_ weigh. She felt far too light in his held her under her knees but he had immediately shifted her so that she lay against his chest, head on his shoulder. His other arm barely brushed across the tops of her shoulders, more of a light embrace.

"Are you eating enough?" he asked in disbelieve, having seen firsthand how much she did eat but perhaps that was because she usually didn't eat?

"Yeah, I'm just. Designed differently," she admitted with her eyes closed, inwardly burning at having to admit just another thing that was different about her.

"Oh good, if you ate any more I would have to sell Sam to feed you," Dean told her and she felt relieved at his seemingly practical, if mean by Sam's opinion, take on it instead of being disturbed. And then she realized that she hadn't even protested when he picked her up, only sunk against him tiredly and let him carry her away. She tried to struggle upright at that point, awkwardly pushing away from him and he cursed as she suddenly wiggled in his hold.

"Stop it or I'll drop you on your ass," he told her and she crumpled against him, far too exhausted to keep protesting.

"Shut up," she mumbled though, unwilling to just cuddle against him obediently and she could feel his chuckle under her cheek. She felt a flutter in her stomach, face warming as she realized that although her first instinct should be to get away from him, she was all too content where she was. And that was terrifying for so many new reasons that it made her already traumatized head hurt.

"Here we are," Dean announced before twisting awkwardly to grab the door handle. She rolled her eyes, reaching to open it for him when he finally got it and proceeded to violently kick it open in spite. She jumped at the loud sound but immediately snorted at his behavior. Unfortunately he still felt that small sign of fear, because when she leaned back to give him a stern look he was already watching her, eyes sad.

"Shut up, Winchester, sit me down," she demanded, looking away from the intensity of just how much he feels all the time. How does he even do that? Stay so strong and feel everything so much?

He sat her gently on the edge of the bed, and she immediately tried to straighten and give him a grin before sending him off but he was sternly watching her, just waiting for her to give up on whatever act she was planning, and so she sighed. And then she let herself sink, hunch over her knees and put her head in her hands like she wanted too.

"This is all too much," she mumbled but when she looked up she saw Dean look down guiltily and she kicked at him. She missed but she got his attention. She made sure not to smile at his glare.

"Don't you dare, Dean Winchester, I've known you for all of two days and I can see how much you love the attention so just stop it. You are not responsible for the worlds problems, and you didn't make that demon so stop it," She told him sternly and if her voice wavered over demon, well that was too be expected even if her weakness burned her insides and made her straighten in defiance.

"But you wouldn't even be involved with this if I had just let you go and I didn't," he told her and she kicked at him again, the move weak and not actually intended to hit but it made her point.

"That thing in there said I was connected to it, Dean. And Cas said it's not just physical but it's even in my _soul_. I was already a part of this, you just told me the truth," Alida told him and she was staring over his shoulder, avoiding his gaze.

"But they've never bothered you before I-," Dean started and she cut him off quickly.

"Dean. Shut up. You want to know what you have done?" She asked him solemnly and he froze, watching her with something akin to guilt in his gaze as if he couldn't think of a single thing he had done right, and it almost broke her heart.

"You've become the first person to tell me the truth. Because you think I deserve it. You've become the first person to accept every single weird thing about me without judging me for it. You've become the first person to tell me I was strong instead of harping about me being a victim when you heard what had happened. You are one of the few people that have cared when they saw that I was hurt. And you have become one of the first people I have ever wanted to be friends with," Alida told him, and if her eyes shone with unshed tears, she would never admit it later as she opened up to someone for the first time, but he needed her honesty. He deserved it.

He let out a quick breath, a sharp unbelieving sound but then he shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure that means your life sucks, not that I'm a great person, but thanks," Dean told her and she glared at him, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well, the first person I wanted to be friends with was Sam, so, don't feel too special," she told him dryly but he grinned at her.

"Sammy has that effect on people," he told her seriously and her smile turned sad because although that was true, she could see that what he really meant was that he didn't.

"You know, you aren't too bad yourself. I was just a little annoyed at the whole, trying to kill me thing," she told him drolly and he grinned at her, the genuine amused expression lighting up his whole face in a way that should be illegal on the already handsome man.

"Force of habit?" he offered with pursed lips, raised eyebrows, and an eloquent shrug that made her toss her pillow at him. He easily caught it, tucking it under his arm and holding it hostage.

"Hey! I need that! I'm resting, I'm a delicate, wounded, spring flower, or something," Alida complained and he tossed it onto the bed with a disbelieving scowl.

"You are the farthest thing from delicate. Everyone needs to take care of themselves, that doesn't make you week," he told her and she arched an eyebrow at his patronizing.

"Really? When is the last time you told yourself that?" she asked him and by his startled look that hit a little too close to home.

"Have you been talking to, Sam?" he asked suspiciously and she chuckled at the admission.

"No, I haven't," she told him, and for some reason when she blinked it took her longer to open her eyes.

"Get some sleep," he told her, the same way he ordered Sam to eat earlier, and it was a familiar protective tone that she had heard Max use on her own little family. It would have annoyed Alida if it didn't touch her and so she just flipped him off as she obediently kicked off her boots. She crawled up to her pillow, tugging at her blanket to pull it over her and Dean sighed as she gave up and curled up without it.

"Here, you idgit," he told her, easily yanking it out from in under her legs and throwing it over her. She mumbled something that might have been a thanks but was probably more of an insult but then she was moaning, rolling back over and he moved forward worried that something was wrong.

He blinked in surprise as she pulled a knife out of her clothes, laying it on the night stand. Then another one followed. The third one she kept in her hand, curling up with it in under her pillow and then she passed out, evidently not bothered that he was still there. He was pretty sure that was a shocking display of acceptance considering the knives she just pulled out of absofreaking nowhere, and so he just readjusted the blanket instead of feeling insulted.

He shut the door behind him, thinking that she would be more comfortable that way but he couldn't make himself lock it in case something happened. Then he went in search of Sam and Cas to figure out what in the hell was going on.

* * *

Alida was getting tired of waking up disoriented, although that wasn't exceptionally new for her. As it was though, this time when she woke up with a killer headache and dry throat she was more confused as to why she felt like death warmed up instead of where she was. The inside of her head still felt tender, like every thought was too harsh against the inside of her mind, and it was a completely unnerving feeling.

At least everything else was physical, throbbing, stinging pain that she could handle. She focused on it as she staggered out of bed, finding her weapons carelessly left on the nightstand. She would've been annoyed except that she remembered dumping them there, too exhausted to care. She flushed in embarrassment when she remembered that she had been too exhausted to care that Dean was there as well but it was also tinged with panic.

She would never had been so careless as to sleep around someone she couldn't trust, and when it came down to it, you couldn't really trust anyone. What had she been thinking? Alida returned her knives to their proper places and tugged on her boots before realizing that her shirt was a mess. It was covered in blood, from her nose bled, and from where she cradled her arm against it and she groaned as she tugged open her bag. She ruined far too many shirts with blood, it was becoming ridiculous.

She ruffled through her meagre belongings, hesitating before tugging out her simple green shirt. It was a gift from Nudge actually, the girl had told her she needed to brighten up her wardrobe and it would look fabulous with her hair. It had been ripped open by a broken window on the second time she wore it. Nudge had just shrugged, not bothered, but Alida had patched it up and kept it. Still, after she stained it the last time, yes with blood she hadn't worn it. She decided she just didn't have many options and that the color didn't matter.

Now she tugged it on, slits already in place for her wings and Alida paused at the sight of them as she slid them through the fabric. The usually bright yellow toned feathers shaded towards darker golden tones naturally but there seemed to be more of an orange tone in her feathers. She flexed her wings, twisting to try and get a look at them but there wasn't a mirror to peer in and it was impossible to see the feathers closer to her back.

She settled them unnerved, but perhaps it was natural for your feathers to change colors. It was a subtle difference after all and she hadn't really had the chance to study her wings before, they might have always had a trace of that color, she wasn't exactly thinking clearly with every thought pounding against her skull. She decided to ask one of the flock, and tugged her jacket on, out of breath after contorting and that bothered her as well. Who knew demonic possession was so tiring?

Properly dressed she left the room, in search of some water, quickly followed by whatever was the nearest meat source, and she was going to follow that by whatever had sugar that was also in the nearest vicinity. After downing a bottle of Tylenol for her headache. She pulled out her phone, before cursing violently and chunking the shattered broken hunk down the hall in a fit of fury. Sam leaped out of the way with a surprised yell, diving back through the doorway he had come from as the cell phone flew past his face. She jogged forward guiltily, her sudden anger gone as quick as it had come.

"I'm so sorry, Sam! Did I hit you?" she asked, ducking through the doorway to reach for him. She dropped her hands as she realized what she was doing and contented herself with looking at his head for bruises.

"No, but is there a reason you tried to throw something at my face?" Sam asked and if he wasn't a couple or okay, more, inches taller than her than she would've smacked him on the back of the head for the sassy look on his face. As it was she tilted her head with a derisive stare. His lifted into a small smile before he composed himself with a proper apologetic nod.

"Right, accident," he agreed sweetly and she rolled her eyes, going to find her phone. If it was shattered before, now it was completely useless, and she picked it up with a dark look.

"What did your phone do to you?" Sam asked, easily peering over her shoulder to see what she had thrown and she jumped at how close he was. She uncomfortably stepped to the side to get him out from behind her, but she held it up as if she was just moving to show him.

"It's broken," she told him simply and he looked at her with a look that was a little too worried she wasn't quite right in the head.

"Um, well phones break when you throw them," he told her slowly, brows raising as he gently took it out of her hand. She groaned, letting him take the useless remains, and ran her hand through her hair, her throbbing head picking back up once she figured out that she didn't brain Sam, although right now that doesn't sound like it would be such a bad idea.

"I know that, Sam, it was broke before I threw it!" she told him exasperatedly and Castiel leaned out of the doorway Sam had come from. He scowled at them at her raised tone, and she glared back, not in the mood.

"What is it, Sam?" Castiel asked them and Sam waved the broken phone at him.

"Alida, had a bit of a melt down apparently," Sam explained, walking back to Cas and Alida followed with a dark look at the back of his head.

"I must have landed on it during convulsing in pain and whatnot," Alida told them flippantly, immediately regretting it when they shared a concerned look.

"Hey, I'm fine now, just need to get a hold of someone," Alida told them, following them back into a room she hadn't been in before. It was a library, of some sort, and she looked around quickly before her eyes fell to the man sitting at a table. Dean was already there, and he looked up at the sound of her voice, eyes finding hers.

"Hey, you've looked better. Max you mean?" Dean asked meaningfully and she glared at him, fear tingling down her spine at the use of Max's name even though no one really meant anything by it. They weren't trying to find her, they didn't know anything about her, and actually they didn't even know Max was a _her_. So, Alida made herself relax and roll her eyes, moving to sink down into a chair. He watched her worriedly at the motion, and she made sure not to actually go boneless like she wanted too. Instead she sat up straighter, eyes roving over the books that sat before him.

"Whatcha readin?" she asked but it didn't seem to distract him like she wanted it too. Sam tossed her cell phone onto the table and Dean picked it up, raising his eyebrows at her as he held it up like it was some kind of evidence.

"Shut up, it was broken," she mumbled and Dean was about to say something when Sam shook his head at him, moving his hand over his throat. Alida caught the motion out of the corner of her eye, and her head snapped to the side to glare at him. Dean widened his eyes at Sam with a grimace, making a geez face. Sam tilted his head to the side with a quick movement of agreeance.

"Will you two stop it, I am right here, and I am having murderous urges," she threatened them in annoyance but Castiel grabbed her chin, tilting her head to stare into her eyes. She jumped at the motion, almost jerking away when she realized who it was and froze.

"Are these left over from the demon's possession of your body or have these always happened?" Castiel asked her seriously, dark blue eyes peering into her skull and she fought the urge to snap and telling him she was feeling one right now and that he should remove his hand.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't being serious. I just have a killer headache, and I need to figure out how to call people, and I'm kind of thrown about the demon possession thing to be honest," she told him and his expression cleared. Her eyes nearly crossed to watch when he touched the middle of her forehead with one finger but then it felt like cool water was washing through her, easing the pain and cleaning it away. She sincerely thanked him, the tension easing out of her with a sigh.

"If you tell me where the people you need to contact are I will find them," Castiel offered, moving away confused, when she jerked away from him.

"No," she told him, too quick and too harshly and they all stared at her before she realized what she had did.

"I'm sorry, Cas," she told him, using the offered nick name in apology and trying to make it obvious it wasn't personal, "No, thank you. I'd rather you not."

"Okay," Castiel agreed, and then she was left feeling like a jerk that had kicked a kitten as they sat in silence. Her head was guiltily free of pain.

"Do you know the number? You can use my phone," Dean told her and she looked at him in surprise. She sank in relief at the lack of judgment on his face and she took the offered phone gratefully. She stared at it for a moment, unsure if she should. Nudge had told her that people can retrace numbers, use the number you called to trace them, use the gps, all kinds of computer knowledge that she hadn't really understood when she got to into it. But Nudge had added, if it isn't someone you trust. At the time Alida had just assumed that would never be a problem.

"Thanks," she finally said, flipping it open to punch the numbers in quickly and lift it to her ear. They seem surprised that she didn't immediately leave to keep her conversation private, but honestly she almost wanted them to see that what had happened with the demon wasn't her. She couldn't say that it was wrong, that she wasn't a killer. That she didn't enjoy it. But she could show them this, that she was human enough to care about people. The phone was answered on the second ring, voice wary.

"Hello? Elizabeth Lilly speaking?" Nudge answered and Alida's lips twitched.

"It's Alida," she told her and immediately a shrill squeal came through making her move the phone away from her ear. Dean's eyebrows rose, and he shared a surprised look with Sam.

"Ohmygosh you never checked in and you always call in and Max was getting ready to come find you, and she had been so mad, seriously, it's because she's worried but she has such and attitude, shush Max, I'm talking to Alida, I'm so glad to hear from you! Whose phone is this?" Nudge asked, rushing so fast that Alida's newly healed head took a moment to process what she had said and that shew was actually waiting for an answer.

"Um, it's," Alida waited looking to Dean for permission. She had protected her Flock long enough, she would do nothing less for the Hunters. She caught Dean's attention, but he squinted at her before realizing what she was asking.

"Oh, yeah, whatever," he told her, rolling his hand to tell her to continue.

"It's Dean's, he's letting me borrow it, but that's not important just tell Max I'm okay and to calm down," Alida told her but this time the silence that came through the speaker was so absolute and unexpected Alida felt her heart stop.

"Nudge?!" She yelped, darting up in her chair. Everyone jumped at her fear, but then the girl started speaking again, and Alida rolled her eyes at the flood of words.

"Who's Dean!? Do you have a boyfriend!? I cannot believe this Max told me I couldn't go on dates and you are out there not calling people and borrowing phones, but I don't blame you, just tell me is he cute? When do we get to meet him?" Nudge asked in a rush, tone easily fluctuating from annoyed to ecstatic to curious and Alida was almost bowled over by the force of her personality.

"What!? No, no, of course not, and no, never, and just, where's Max?" Alida rambled, and she felt her face go red in mortification. She just hoped that none of them could hear the rather loud girls chatter but when she dared to peak at Dean's face he was smirking, watching her smugly as he leaned back in her chair.

"Fine, but you are totally telling me all about it when you can," Nudge told her grumpily and then she was handing over the phone over and Max's irritated voice replaced hers.

"Sorry, I couldn't get the phone away from Motormouth. Where are you? And what happened? Do you need backup because no matter where you are I can be there in twenty," Max promised and Alida almost dared her to try just to see how fast the other girl could actually go.

"Okay, no, I'm fine. Seriously, stay calm feisty pants," Alida told her and the other girl nearly growled in annoyance.

"Seriously? Feisty pants?" Max asked, and her voice dripped with so much sarcasm that Alida fought the urge to roll her eyes out of her head. This girl might think she was 98% human and 2% avian, but Alida was pretty sure that she was 100% sass. She caught Dean and Sam share another look and she grit her teeth at the fact that she was surrounded by them. Luckily Castiel's facial expression remained clear or else she would have murdered one of them.

"Okay, not the time," Alida interrupted and Max relented having made her point.

"Understood. So, Dean, huh?" Max asked and it was so carefully neutral that Alida had to take a moment to realize what she said and then her blush was back so much hotter and she dropped her head to the table, not daring to look at anyone. She was pretty sure no one could hear Max, unlike Nudge Max was more of a soft talker, but she couldn't handle it.

"We are not having this conversation right now," Alida told her, far too embarrassed to actually appreciate one of the few moments Max actually acted like a teenage girl. Max laughed, sadistic humor enjoying Alida's humiliation.

"Fine, but you have two minutes to explain what happened, or I'm kicking Dean's ass," Max told her and Alida lifted her head, facing the ceiling for inspiration.

"Max? It's going to take more than a couple minutes. You might need to be alone, and you should probably take a seat. You can explain to the kids later, but. You aren't going to be happy with what I found out," Alida told her seriously and she could hear Max take a deep surprised breath. She heard muffled voices as Max excused herself, and then it was quiet for a moment as Max composed herself.

"Okay, I'm ready," Max told her, voice steady and Alida met Dean's eyes from across the table. He was sober and she remembered his guilt from before, about bringing her into this world although he didn't have a choice. She suddenly understood it as she prepared to tell Max that they weren't as safe as they thought they were, and that even their dna had been a lie, the one constant in their lives not even true.

"Okay, Max. I'm going to tell you everything."


	14. The Sickness

Max had been silent through most of Alida's explanation and that in itself was frightening. It truly showed how afraid she was, that the girl had nothing flippant to say although she still had her moments.

"Really, you fainted in his arms?" she had asked and Alida had fought the urge to reach through the phone and strangle her.

"Okay, you get your body hijacked by a Ted Bundy fanatic and then you can stay on your feet," Alida had responded quickly, stomach turning at the memory.

"Was it really bad?" Max asked her, and Alida could hear the fear there, could recognize it as the same that was in her own blood. It was in all of them, the fear of having their whole lives taken away from them, their own choices, with their own bodies.

"Yeah," Alida had replied simply, apologetically.

"Well then, I'm glad you showed him who he was messing with," Max had told her sternly, and Alida's smile had wobbled with unshed tears.

"Me too. Although, Sam said that should've been impossible. Just think, if I introduced them you, you'd burn the whole place down and have it set up as a personal spa," Alida had told her and Max had snorted.

"I don't really do spas. Maybe a personal gym," Max had retorted making Alida chuckkle. And with that Alida had went on, explaining how to be safe and what to watch out for with the hunters chiming in with directions.

"Hey, tell Max if anything happens, just to call that number," Dean had told her when the conversation was drifting to a close, and Alida had looked at him gratefully, repeating his instructions.

"Okay, I will," Max had responded easily, and Alida was relieved to hear her taking this so seriously. She sat her independence to the side to make sure that her flock would always have help.

"Can she give it to all of the kids? There is five others," Alida had asked and Dean had bit his lip at the number but gave her a nod.

"Make sure are tech girl puts it in everyone's phone. I'll figure out how to get the tattoo, and I'll give you a call. I'll figure this out, Max. You just take care of them," Alida had told her.

"I always do. You aren't alone now though, you know that don't you?" Max had asked and Alida had been still for a moment, before replying.

"I know I'm not. But Max, the demon. It was expecting me. It knew me, and I don't know if it knows about you and I'm not going to take that chance. I've got this," she promised her fervently but then someone smacked her in the back of the head. She twisted around with a glare, eyes focusing on the angel in surprise.

"We've got this," he corrected her and her gaze softened. She turned to look at the brothers and they each met her gaze before nodding.

"And it seems like I've got some help. They are kind of experts," Alida told Max and Dean gave her his best grin.

"Alright then, keep in touch. Stay safe. Live free," Max quoted at her and Alida smirked.

"Die well," Alida responded before hanging up and although Castiel was scowling at her and Sam was watching her in alarm, Dean was watching her quizzically.

"Did you just quote The Rock?" he asked her and she laughed in surprise, kind of blushing.

"It's one of the boys' favorite movies, okay?" she offered and Dean rolled his eyes.

"The effects were so sketchy, and The Mummy was the best hands down," Dean told her and she propped her head up on her chin.

"But the Scorpion King spin offs were funny, and had some great quotes," Alida told him with a wink.

"But they pale in comparison to Mummy franchise! Except that last one," Dean told her with a mock shudder and she grimaced.

"That last one shouldn't be spoken of. It's just, I mean you can't change who Evy is!" she told him and he nodded enthusiastically, opening his mouth to explain his complaints but then his brother interrupted.

"I'm glad we can agree, and we can have a movie night later, but guys please focus. Demon. It wanted Alida. Why?" Sam asked and Alida fell back in her chair, too drained to even glare at the boy. Why did he have to suck the fun out of everything.

"Well, the spell obviously worked. Does that mean… I'm a demon?" Alida asked, putting the words they had all been dreading out in the open. There was a moment of tense silence, and Alida felt her stomach cramp as she started to shake. Was she really one of those things?

She could still feel it, inside of her head, and enjoying her silent screams. She could be. She was made to kill, she did it effortlessly. It was the first thing she thought, instead of look at this human, it was how to kill this enemy. She had always clung to the fact that that was how they made her, that she could fix it. But if it ws part of her soul… what if it wasn't fixable?

"No," Castiel suddenly said, his voice breaking the tension and Alida flinched at the stern tone. He moved around the table so that she would have to look at him and she tilted her head back to meet his eyes, unnerved at the way he towered over her and made her feel small, and defenseless.

"I may not be able to see it clearly, Alida. The light in your soul is unclear and so entwined that I cannot make it out, but I could see that. Demons do not have souls, and I would be able to see the way it clashed with the light in yours. This… piece of you doesn't merely coexist, it's a part of you in a way that is unique. I have not seen another soul like yours in my millennia watching this earth," Castiel told her and Alida felt something crush her chest.

Her heart ached and her lungs felt like they couldn't get enough air as she listened to him. She wished she could believe it was true, that she wasn't evil in the deepest parts of her, but her past did not eland her to believe in what she wanted. Only in reality.

"Maybe you should take a look at one of the others. See if we are made the same," Alida offered but his gaze never wavered from hers.

"Perhaps, but that does not mean that what I see in you will dim in the least," Castiel told her and she swallowed thickly, trying to control the onslaught of emotions.

"It doesn't really sound like they'd be up for that though," Sam told her and Alida looked over to where he was sitting. She thought about his words before shrugging.

"Chance to meet a real life angel and this test only takes him looking at you? With no sharp objects or chains needed, I'm pretty sure half of 'em would jump on the chance. Convincing Max will probably be the hard part," Alida told them dryly and Dean scowled.

"Kind of controlling isn't it? And when you say kids, you are definitely not old enough to have kids," Dean told her and she sighed, pulling her feet up in the chair. She ignored his glare as she tucked her feet in under her to get more comfortable

"I do not have kids. I know some kids. But I am not going to ask them until we can figure out a safe place to meet them where none of these bastards would realize that they are connected to me at all. Until we figure out who wanted to see me, I can't risk it. I am not bringing that back to them," she told them firmly and Dean nodded although Sam looked like he wanted to object. Dean understood the need to protect someone though, no matter what the cost.

"Then how are we going to figure out why are connection spell summoned a demon if there wasn't anything on this end demonic?" Sam asked and Alida shrugged.

"You're the experts. Last week I was just glad no one had shot at me in a while. When you give me something to kill then I can be helpful but until then I know less than you do," Alida told them and Sam sighed. They had set to discussing who they could call, gogni through a list of names that meant absolutely nothing to Alida. Soon she was dozing off in her chair, still worn out and the second time Dean caught her he had gruffly ordered her to bed.

"Shove off, Dean," Alida had mumbled but at his pointed, "What, we're British now?" she had given in and slunk off back to her room, only stopping to ask Sam for a bottle of water. She hadn't been very hungry anymore. He had quickly gotten her one, bounding off to supposedly the kitchen before returning with three bottles.

She took them gratefully and waved at the gathered men before leaving. Once there she sunk into her bed, door locked firmly behind her, and curled back up. She couldn't sleep though, now that she was no longer exhausted the memory of the demon inside her head seemed to be on replay making her shiver in revulsion.

Her throat still ached and she quickly gulped down her first bottle, the quick rush of water making her stomach ache. After that she only took sips, but the ache never quite went away. It was actually getting hot as well, and no matter how much cold water she drank she was soon too warm. She kicked off her boots, and even stripped off her jacket after shoving the dresser in front of the door. Then she laid on her stomach, fanning out her wings and stretching on the bed until none of her skin touched itself.

When that was still not enough and she only had half of her last bottle of water Alida stripped farther tossing her shirt and jeans to the end of the bed. Even that was only temporary relief and she realized as she continued to shiver that she had to be sick. She had some kind of body jumping demon aids or something. Alida moaned, turning her head to the other side so that her other cheek could cool down but soon she was sweating.

She wearily tugged her hair away from her skin and tied it into a bun before falling back on the bed exhausted. She wondered if her system was strong enough to run through demonic diseases or if they were going to have to bury her in under the shed. She snorted at the thought, but then guiltily realized that finding her dead would probably be a bit traumatizing. Dean would just be disappointed in her. And Max would never know what was happening, what the demon wanted. What if when she died they went after one of the Flock? Angel already read minds, what if it decided they wanted her?

With that thought she pulled herself out of bed, glaring at her clothes with something akin to hatred before giving up on them. She was not putting on those jeans, no matter what, but then she would need to wear a long shirt. Her only shirt was slit for her wings, and just the thought of having to wear a jacket made her want to just light herself on fire instead. She would've went out without anything except for the sweat slicked wings arched away from her skin. What should she do?

She finally gave up on clothes all together and wrapped the comfort loosely around her. It was almost too thick to handle, but the padding hid the shape of her wings and she let it drape off of her shoulders and held it closed in the front. She weakly shoved the dresser out of the way, stumbling a bit before realizing that she couldn't get it to move. That was when she sunk back onto the bed, panic settling in at how weak she was. She was really sick, far sicker than she had ever been in her life. She had almost died before, but that was from wounds, things that could heal. Not something that felt like it was eating her alive from the inside.

"Castiel," she tried, her voice a croak and she coughed when nothing happened, leaning forward and closing her eyes tight. She had never prayed before. She didn't know how, but she was desperately hoping that this was enough.

"Castiel? Please," she asked him, and she would have be embarrassed later by her whimper of relief when she felt the air stir and his presence suddenly fill the room.

"Cas," she said haltingly, raising her eyes to meet his and he stared at her in shock, surprised by her deteriorated state. And then he was gone and she stared at the spot he had been in disbelief, realization settling in. Then she felt like a fool as she realized that she had begun to believe in them, trust them. She felt the first tear creep down her face with a start and it was a sign of how ill she was that she didn't have the strength to fight them as more silently followed.

Then the door busted in, dresser crashing as it was flung across the room and Alida flinched. Castiel walked in, haloed by the shattered remains of her door, but Dean quickly pushed him aside, quickly followed by Sam as they ran to her side. Dean didn't even take a second look at her state of undress, only pressed his hand to her head. She leaned into the touch, pleased at the sensation of his cool hand. He gently wiped the tears off of her cheeks with his thumb.

"You are so hot!" Dean whispered in disbelief and she cracked a grin.

"Thanks, you're not so bad," she told him and he glowered at her for cracking a joke at a time like this but it was quickly followed by a smirk.

"Cas, I thought you healed her?" Sam demanded and Cas moved forward to stand between them. He touched her as well, firmly pressing his fingers to her temple and this time she closed her eyes as it made her dizzy.

"Is it where the werewolf scratched her?" Sam asked, tugging the blanket slightly down to look at the glossy scratches at her neck. They were almost completely healed.

"No. There is something I can't see. Perhaps it is something to do with the part of her that is not human, but I have healed all that I can," Castiel told them and she started laughing at the absurdity of it. She had never imagined her death surrounded by three handsome men all of them trying to touch her.

"Is she delirious? Are you delirious?" Castiel asked her with a scowl and that only made her laugh harder, the tears drying on her face.

"I'm fine," she answered and she could see Dean's jaw clench. IT was strangely attractive, and he considered making him do that more often if she, you know, survived.

"Will you quite saying that when you obviously aren't?" Dean asked her scornfully and she felt her eyes sting at the harsh way he said it. Who knew she was so emotional when she was sick?

"Hey, look, I'm sorry," Dean quickly apologized much to both Sam and Castiel's amusement.

"Whatever, I don't care," she told him but it was so pouty that no one believe that for a moment either.

"Come on, let's get in bed and covered up. Try to get comfy and we'll go get you some medicine okay?" Dean told her, and Sam stared at him. It was the gentle voice he used to use whenever Sam didn't feel well, and Sam could remember the canned soup Dean had heated up for him before wrapping him blankets and telling him that he wouldn't tell Dad that he missed school.

"Medicine doesn't really work on me," Alida objected and she seemed loath to actually wrap up in the blanket she was clutching to her chest. Sam pointedly didn't look at her exposed legs even though she wasn't actually that exposed, he'd seen girls wear shorts that showed more, but the idea was they did it on purpose, not being cause they were ill.

"Well, then we'll give you lots of it and see if that kills you or the fever does, now get covered up," Dean told her, gently pushing her back onto the mattress but she fought it.

"Look, I'll be fine. I just didn't want to surprise anyone," Alida told him and Dean froze, glaring at her.

"Well, good job, now we won't be surprised. You are still taking your medicine, whether you like it or not. I'm not going through the trouble of burying you if you die of stubbornness," he told her and that seemed to work because then she was grumbling, rolling back onto the bed. Dean pushed some of the stray hair out of her face, and felt her forehead once more, frowning.

"I'll just get everything," he told her and she glared, the expression dimmer than he liked out of her fevered eyes. They quickly stepped out of her room as she drifted off into a doze probably prompted by her fever.

"Looks like she'll be down for a couple of days," Sam told them, and he was prepared to stubbornly tell Dean that she had to stay until she got better but Dean surprised him with a nod.

"Yeah, we might need to get soup too. She hasn't eaten that much, and it's going to get worse, but she'll need the food to fight it off. More than usual probably," Dean told him and Sam gave him pointed look, accompanied by a small smirk.

"Learn all that from Dr. Sexy?" he asked and Dean gasped in denial before giving him a glare.

"Shut up, Harvard, go law or something," he told him huffily and Sam rolled his eyes.

"That didn't even make sense, you are so lame," he told him but then he bumped his arm him in the shoulder as they walked.

"I will go get the provisions," Cas announced and before either of them could say anything he was gone. Dean looked to where he was before sighing. He was probably feeling guilty that he couldn't heal her, and was trying to make up for it the old fashioned way. Dean would have to talk with the guy when he got back, and the thought made him squirm. His pep talks never really went smoothly.

"So, Alida's nice?" Sam asked blithely and he carefully kept a straight face as Dean gave him a fierce look.

"Yeah? Got a point Sam?" Dean demanded and Sam gave him the bitch face, not even pretending anymore.

"Come on, you are like suspiciously nice to her and you've only hit on her approximately three times. She is attractive, and kind of your type in more than the usual way, so what is it?" Sam demanded and Dean glared at him.

"IF you like her so much, why don't you go date her?" Dean told him and Sam lit up like he had told him something.

"Oh! You think she likes me?" Sam asked and Dean floundered for a minute, somewhere in between making a glare and grimace before he gave up and walked away.

"Whatever, you like the monster chicks, have at it," Dean told him and Sam glared at his back before following.

"Uh uh, you totally like her. You know, she doesn't actually like me, you could tell if you ever got out of your 'no one could possibly think I'm worth something' mentality. She barely takes her eyes off of you," Sam told him, smirking triumphantly when Dean turned back around to face him.

"So, what, Sammy? If she isn't your cup of whisky, just don't drink it. Don't drag me into this," he told him and Sam glowered again.

"Okay, now this is your roundabout way of saying, Sam I won't like her if you like her, which is pretty damn precious considering what happened with Lindsey," Sam jabbed and Dean pointed at him.

"That doesn't count. She came onto me, they were twins, I was drunk. But that is also not the point!" Dean told him in exasperation and Sam squinted at him.

"Dean, you went home with both of them," Sam reminded him and Dean grinned, before rubbing his jaw.

"Yeah, like I said, they were twins, man!" Dean explained and Sam groaned.

"You know what, your right leave her alone. You're such a slut," Sam told him, and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Exactly, I can just be nice to the girl. Her life is messed up enough, and she needs it. How old is she anyway? She just needs someone to help out, not hook up, Sam," Dean told him and it was surprisingly insightful and compassionate of him. Sam was calling bullshit.

"So, that's it! You think she is too young and you'll just cause her problems, but you don't have too Dean! There is this thing called a relationship, where you can actually enjoy being with the person. I know it's been awhile but you deserve to be happy, Dean," Sam told him and Dean pursed his lips, licking the edge as his thought.

"You know what, quit trying to get in my head, you'd think you were my shrink," Dean told him in disgust, actually walking away this time.

"You don't have a shrink!" Sam exclaimed in aggravation.

"Exactly, I don't want one," Dean threw over his shoulder without breaking stride, and Sam grit his teeth in annoyance. If Dean wouldn't listen to him, then it was only his job as his loving little brother to make him realize what was happening. They obviously liked each other, in an annoying obnoxious we both won't admit it kind of way. Even Cas had noticed! He was so socially awkward he still took hints for romance from porn.

"IF this goes badly, it's all your fault, Dean!" Sam called after him, knowing that he was already long gone. With the best intentions and perhaps a little bit of glee Sam turned to go back to Alida's room. She needed the company after all.


	15. Soup and Small Talk

Sam was going to talk to her, see if she hopefully had more reason than his brother, but whenever he peered through the door he found her asleep. Her face was twisted in unease, body curled tightly as if she was use to sleeping in a ball to protect herself. Her face had a sheen of sweat, and yet as he watched he could see her shiver in under the comforter.

He hesitated for a moment, considering getting her another one, but he remembered her earlier heat. If that returned he didn't want her to be trapped in under two blankets and so he went in search of more water instead. She would probably be dehydrated. She was actually very ill. He hadn't thought it would be too serious but it actually seemed pretty bad. Just the day before he had surreptitiously watch gouges that might need stitches and take weeks to heal close in an hour.

Now though, it didn't seem like she was getting better at super human speed. Sam considered the options, wondering what exactly to give to a woman who could usually heal from fatal injuries, and whose dna was questionable.

"I didn't know what kind to get," Sam heard Castiel say worriedly, and he hurried to the kitchen to the sight of the counter covered in canned soups. The look of utter disbelief on Dean's face would have been hilarious if not for the concern on Cas'.

"Hey, Cas! That's alright, now we can make sure we have what she likes and cans will last a while. If she doesn't eat them we can later, right Dean?" Sam told them and Cas smiled gratefully at him. And that was how the three of them ended up sorting through what had to be a hundred cans of soup. Dean checked on Alida every once in a while to find her sound asleep, and at Sam's insistence left a pitcher of water with a glass on her nightstand.

He came back to find it empty after a while, although there was no sign that she had actually woken up. He refilled it for her, and got her a cold washrag to rest on her forehead whenever he felt her temperature. He frowned when he realized it felt even warmer.

"Dean?" she asked blearily at his touch and he guiltily moved away. He didn't mean to wake her.

"Sorry, just checking in," he told her soothingly and she nodded, but instead of turning over she blinked up at him, trying to gain consciousness. She lifted a hand to her forehead, feeling the wet rag in surprise.

"Thank you," she told him and he nodded, watching her shift into an upright position.

"Hey, you sure you feel good enough to get up? If you are up for it you should eat, but we can bring it in here," Dean told her, catching her shoulder but she gently pushed his hands away. She didn't even bother with grabbing her blanket and Dean blinked in surprise as she started to slide out from in under the covers in nothing but her underwear. He lunged for the blanket, holding it up before it could slide too far and she blinked in surprise. Her eyes widened as she saw it and she clutched it tightly, dragging it around her back to cover herself completely and Dean felt guilty for absolutely no reason.

"Thanks," she told him again and he nodded, offering her a hand to help her to her feet. This time she took his assistance, and she leaned on his hand before standing.

"Where's that food?" she asked hopefully and Dean laughed, watching her hopefully as he helped her down the hall. He could see her struggle to walk on her own for a few steps before her weight leaned on him again but then she would try it again. By the time they were in the kitchen she was wore out again, far too pale. He could see her freckles stand out against her skin, and it looked like someone had sprinkled dots across paper.

"Alida!" Sam exclaimed when he saw her and he was going to move forward to take her other arm but she waved him off.

"Hey, Sam, hello, Castiel," Alida greeted them both before letting go of Dean. He frowned at her but let her move on her own to sit down in a chair.

"Hello," Castiel replied and that was when she saw the, drastically smaller than earlier, array of soups. There were like fifteen cans on the counter, all of the different choices he had gotten her and she looked at them guiltily.

"Oh, you didn't have to go through so much trouble. Thank you so much," Alida told him and she sounded so sincere that the angel beamed at her.

"I want you to get well. I do not understand how, but evidently the comfort of soup in particular assists in fighting off sickness," Castiel told her, so seriously that she had to grin at him. She beamed at him the way she would one of the younger members of the flock, proud of something they had done.

"Well, I do not know either, but I already feel better," she told him and although he wanted to object that that was not how it works, you have to consume the soup, she did seem to be feeling better. The tired frown was replaced with a smile and although she leaned on the table she seemed genuinely happy.

"Good," he replied simply instead and Sam picked up a can, turning it to read the label.

"So, do you want, chicken noodle, tomato, beef, basil something or other, alphabet soup, French onion, cream of mushroom, vegetable soup, clam chowder," Sam read and Alida quickly interrupted before he had to continue.

"Chicken noodle will be fine," she told him, one of the first ones she could actually remember and he snatched it up before tossing it at Dean.

"Get to it, chef," Sam told him and Dean rolled his eyes.

"You can heat up some soup, you survived college after all," Dean reminded him and Sam scowled at him.

"But Cas and I were just going to do research, weren't we Cas?" Sam told the angel who looked at him uncomprehendingly.

"I don't believe so," Cas told him but then Sam was grabbing his elbow and leading him out of the room.

"Oh! I must've forgot, I need your angelic opinion on what I found in one of the spells," Sam was telling him but Dean didn't buy it for a second. He considered chucking it after his brother, but he had already had a near miss today from Alida's phone. And Alida didn't' deserve to be deprived of soup just because his brother was an idiot.

"I can do it, I'm sure," Alida told him, misconstruing his annoyance at his brother's meddling for an unwillingness to cook for her and he waved her off quickly, going to the stove.

"Don't you dare move. I've got it, and it will only take a couple of minutes," Dean told her, pulling a pan out from the cabinet and turning the stove on to heat up. The lid had one of the little handle and he pulled it off, not even needing to search for the can opener, but then once that was done he had nothing else to do but wait. He fiddled with his thumbs before sighing and turning around to face her, leaning against the counter.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, crossing his arms and seriously pissed at himself for letting Sam get in his head.

"Fine," she told him, pulling her feet up in her chair and Dean glared at her. This time not because of her feet on the furniture.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you've told me that a handful of times and each time it's been a lie," Dean told her, tilting his head to make his point. She only shrugged.

"Do you want some soup? It seems we have enough," Alida told him, and he grinned, raising his eyebrows before walking over to another cabinet and pausing dramatically.

"You have no idea," he told her before pulling it open and displaying there new soup supply. He was rewarded by her disbelieving expression, her mouth actually falling open before she covered her face with her hands.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized and he snorted, closing the cabinet and moving back to the stove to stir the soup.

"Don't apologize, food will never go to waste around here. Besides, I'm actually not sure if he bought those or just zapped them out of there. He's a little it in the moral grey when it comes to stealing believe it or not," he told her and he was happy to see her lisp twitch up into a smile and her expression turn to one vaguely normal.

"Good to know I won't have to hide my wallet from him. I'm pretty sure he can figure out that Lawrence Jones Sr. shouldn't be on my credit card," she told Dean dryly and he laughed. It was actually surprising how good it felt and he kept grinning as he stirred he soup once more.

"Um, Dean? Is it okay if we heat up another can? I'm feeling better," Alida asked him hesitantly and the small sound of her voice nearly broke his heart. He didn't bother answering, not wanting to turn around. Instead he just went and grabbed two more cans, cracking them open.

"Thank you," she told him once more, and he waved at her over his shoulder, stirring the pot. He poured two bowls when it was finished making sure to fill hers and sat down across from her. He watched her take a small sip, ignoring his warning that it was too hot, and as she quickly took a drink of water to cool her burnt tongue he acknowledged that he did find her pretty. He had already admitted that she was hot, but he did that about every time he met a woman so it wasn't big news.

Watching her sit across from him, curled in her chair, in almost nothing but a blanket however he admitted that she wasn't just one of those every day women. It wasn't just looks either, although her dramatic red hair and electric eyes were killer and enough of a statement that any actress would die to have. It was also her personality, her expression and the way the dark circles in under her eyes and tangled strand of hair fell in her face and she just didn't care as she sipped on her soup, already daring to try again.

It was the way her nose wrinkled in irritation, and the way she glared at you with more strength than he had seen anyone else possess. It was in the way she was so broken inside but lit up in joy at the sight of someone buying her soup, just happy that they thought of her. That was also why he felt like he needed to protect her, to make sure that at least while he was around that nothing bad would happen to her. Especially him.

"What?" she asked, looking up and catching him staring and he raised his eyebrows at her, giving her a condescending look.

"I told you it was hot," he told her and she rolled her eyes, eating another spoonful with no problem.

"Maybe for the weak," she told him haughtily but her expression crumbled after a moment, turning into a grin and she shrugged. He considered her expression, wondering about how hard it was to find enough food that she wasn't hungry.

"I'm hungry, shut up," she told him and he did, turning to his own food. But the moment she was done, he refilled her bowl without a word.

"Thanks," she told him before diving in again and he gently patted her shoulder before going in search of Sam and Cas.

"I'll be right back. Don't move," he told her and she scowled at him.

"Don't tell me what to do," was her retort and he nearly told her she childish before realizing that it was probably left over from people always telling her what to do.

"Fine, please stay here so that you don't pass out and die trying to walk anywhere?" Dean asked instead, only it came out more like and order. He frowned with a shiver, wondering why he was suddenly reminded of his father.

"Okay, but if I finish this soup, I'm still going in search of somewhere to pee," she told him honestly and he rolled his eyes. How in the world did he end up with a beautiful almost naked woman and it was the farthest thing from sexy ever?

"Do you want to go now?" he offered and she looked at him like he was crazy, spoon half way to her mouth.

"No, I'm eating. Now shoo, go do things, I'll sit still and be good," she told him bitingly and he wished he could do something to take that prim look off her face. His ideas however sent his feet out of the room in search of a brother to strangle.

He actually did find them in the library, and they seemed to be going through some books in repentance but from the disgruntled look on Cas' face it was clear that he wasn't actually needed.

"If you get hungry, feed yourself," Dean ordered, dropping into the chair next to his brother. Sam jumped guiltily before giving him the best innocent smile

"Hey, where is Alida?" Sam asked pleasantly and Dean glared.

"Eating," Dean barked at him and Sam's smile turned into a scowl.

"You left her? Dean," Sam admonished him, and he was lucky he didn't finish that thought out loud or else Dean would have to murder him, because he was pretty sure it wasn't 'she's sick' it was more 'you are supposed to be bonding' or whatever Sam was trying to get them to do.

"Cas agrees with me," Sam told him, crossing his arms and leaning back as Cas leaned forward.

"About Alida?" Cas asked and Sam nodded smug.

"I only implied that I believe there is a certain relationship forming between you, not that you should woo her. That would make it a bit more complicated if she ended up being a monster and we had to kill her," Cas told him, a little too honest and this time Sam joined him in glaring at the angel. He didn't seem shamed at all however.

"It's true," he told them, and Sam shook his head at him, obviously regretting brining him in for back up.

"You said she wasn't a monster," Sam reminded him pointedly.

"Yes, but," Cas started and Sam waved him off.

"No, buts, angel-dar said no monster, that means, girlfriend material," Sam told Dean, using his own words against him, and Dean stared at him in disbelief.

"Why are you fighting for this so hard?" Dean asked.

"Because I want you to be happy! Just tell me right now, you do not like her whatsoever and I will let it go," Sam promised and Dean nodded.

"Okay, I do not like her whatsoever. Now let it go, Sam," Dean told him but Sam rolled his eyes.

"I just don't' believe you," Sam told him and Cas nodded.

"He was clearly lying," Cas agreed and Dean stood up, deciding to leave before he strangled one or both of them.

"I wasn't lying but you wouldn't be able to tell if I was, dang it! And what are we twelve? Do you like like people now?" Dean asked and Sam shrugged.

"Do you like like people, Dean? You liked Anna, she was a red head," Sam reminded him and Dean nearly exploded.

"She isn't anything like Anna!" he practically yelled but then his heart skipped a beat at the next voice.

"Who's Anna?" Alida asked curiously as she walked into the room and Dean's glare intensified, not mollified by the guilty horror on Sam's face.

"No one," Dean grunted and she snorted, moving to lean against the table to talk to them.

"Obviously. I always yell about no one," she said mockingly, and she crossed her arms with her covers. She looked ridiculous, and adorable at the same time, and Dean felt himself calm down in embarrassment. She didn't seem uncomfortable or annoyed though, and he wondered how much of the conversation she caught as she looked to each of them curiously.

"Alright, you don't have to tell me. Just wonderin, I mean, if I'm nothing like her at least tell me if that's a good thing?" Alida asked and Dean sighed in relief. She had only heard the end.

"She's dead. Turned out she was an angel, had sex with her, she tried to kill us, and now she's dead. Only thing in common is the red hair," Dean told her and she calmly blinked at the information, watching him carefully.

"Ouch," she said simply and he took in her acceptance with a wary shrug.

"Angels can die?" Alida asked next, eyes turning to Cas but he only nodded evidently unnerved by the conversation. Her smile turned bitter.

"Everything has its time and everything dies," Alida muttered.

"Did you really just quote Doctor Who at us?" Dean demanded and she looked up at him startled, blushing.

"Dude, did you really just recognize it?" Sam asked with a laugh and Dean glared.

"Shut up, Nine was the best Doctor," Dean told him huffily but it only made Sam laugh harder.

"I love him as well, but there's just something about Eleven," Alida objected and Dean rolled his eyes.

"I do not understand. Why are the doctors numbers?" Cas asked and then they were all laughing, Alida calming down to explain and not hurt his feelings.

"It's from a t.v. show," she told him and he grimaced.

"I usually misunderstand references," he admitted but she grinned at him supportively.

"Don't worry, I still get confused too. I believe my most recent one was asking why a girl on fire was a good thing. It's from a movie, I haven't seen it yet so I can't really explain," Alida told him and Sam smirked, head darting up in excitement, his eyes on Dean.

"I know! We should watch it! Movie night," Sam told them, bounding off before anyone could object.

"Well, he seemed. Excited," Alida said after a moment of stunned silence and Dean grit his teeth.

"Yeah, he does," Dean told her before making himself relax.

"Sounds better than lying in bed," Alida told him and he smiled at her, moving to help her.

"I'm fine," she told him, standing up and moving to head back down the hall. Dean glared at the hated phrase, watching her slow walk.

"I will assist you," Cas announced and before she could object he reached out for her and thy were gone. Dean let his shoulders droop now that they were alone, considering which book to beat his brother with. He was pretty sure there was an encyclopedia in here the side of his enormous head.

"Sammy!" Dean yelled, going after him and if the quick sound of Sam's footsteps were anything to go by he was trying to escape alone time with his sweet caring big brother. Dean dashed after him, darting into the living room quick enough to make him leap over the couch with a startled yelp.

"Get back here!"


	16. Movie Nights

When Alida returned, having forced herself into her comfiest clothes but still wrapped in her blanket, there was no sign of the brutal attack from earlier. Other than Sam's bashful smile and Dean's glare of course, as they sat on opposite sides of the room. She looked between them with a suspicious smile, but the cushions on the couch had been replaced and the debris from the only casualty, a lamp that had been accidently kicked off the side table, had been removed.

Castiel didn't seem fazed by the tense atmosphere and so she chose to ignore it as well. He hovered next to her as she sunk to the couch, and she thanked him for his assistance before realizing he wasn't sitting down.

"Are you going to watch the movie with us?" she asked and Castiel smiled at her before sitting on the edge of the couch. She blinked at how proper he was but it was only a moment before he leaned back, curiously watching the television screen. It was almost adorable to see the grown man in the trench coat, the angel that could terrify you with a single word, seem so entranced by the repeating opening sequence of a movie.

"What is this movie called?" Castiel asked as Sam pressed play.

"It's called The Hunger Games," Sam told them and Alida settled in to watch the movie wondering what kind of name was that. She still felt weak, and it bothered her but after resting and getting some food she was surprisingly alert if still worn out. She looked around, and she blamed her fever for the warm feeling that washed over her at their awkward family movie night.

She settled in, glancing at Dean where he had claimed a recliner. Sam was on a smaller loveseat to her right, long frame settled across the half closest to the couch, but he kept throwing looks at his brother. They remained silent however, as the movie started and at the opening scenes she felt her stomach tense in surprise. The young girl's screams made her clutch at her blanket. She felt Castiel turn to look at her, but she ignored his intense concern.

And then it was over, her older sister comforting her. Slowly Alida relaxed once more, watching how worn out the older sister was and of course she was reminded of Max. Every choice Max made was always for the Flock. Alida felt herself expecting it at the reaping, and as the sister, Katniss, volunteered Alida smiled wryly. She glanced to the side to see how Dean was reacting to the movie. He seemed indifferent, but his eyes never left the screen.

"We can watch something else," Sam told her, suddenly realizing that perhaps this wasn't the best movie to watch as they detailed the games. She waved him off with a wan smile, but she felt everyone looking at her every once in a while. It was like they were taking turns worrying about if she was going to freak out.

Alida felt herself tensing, jaw clenching as the movie went on and the horror grew at the idea of the children killing each other. But it when it happened it wasn't terrible, not really. They looked young, and a few were small, but none of them resembled the quivering wide eyed terror of the children in her memories. The begging was flat, the screams quick, and even though she mentally mourned each death, it never really settled as tragic. The memories it brought back were, and she sunk farther in on herself. When Rue died she felt Castiel stiffen beside her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it," Sam apologized moving to shut it off.

"No, you didn't," Dean agreed angrily, leaning out of his chair.

"No, it's almost over. Its fine," she told them sternly, interrupting them before they could fight, and Sam backed away. Dean sat back, eyes staring at her as if urging her to look at him but she ignored it. They finished the movie in tense silence, and Alida was relieved to find that Peeta didn't die. He was far too kind. As the credits rolled everyone sat in apprehensive silence, waiting for some one to say something.

"You okay, Castiel?" Alida asked, glancing over at the angel, and when he looked at her she was struck by the sorrow in his eyes.

"Hey, it was just a movie," she reassure him with a grin, but she felt how sharp and fake it was. She let it drop and she lightly settled her hand on his shoulder instead. His gaze sharpened at the motion, staring at her as if seeing her for the first time and she took it away as if scalded, wrapping her arms around her middle instead.

"Even us humans know how screwed up we are, that's all it is," Dean told him, and Alida sighed in irritation because that wasn't exactly the most reassuring thing to say.

"How we have failed you," Castiel told them and she twisted back to face him, fighting the urge to hug him. She wasn't exactly good at the whole feelings thing.

"There comes a time when everyone has to make their own choices, Castiel. It is no one's fault but their own if the humans made the wrong one," Alida told him, and she felt everyone look at her in surprise.

"You say that as if you are not one of them," Castiel told her and she stilled at the realization that he was right.

"Well, we've already decided I'm not," Alida reminded him but he continued to watch her, as if trying to glean who, or what, she really was.

"We decided you aren't completely human. There is a difference," Sam tried to console her and she gave him a smile for his effort. She knew even he didn't really believe that.

"I'm going to go call that hunter we talked about, Dean. We think he'll be able to help us, figure out who that demon was," Sam told her and she nodded at him, appreciating him including her before he got up and left. She watched the way his shoulder slumped, and he looked so dejected and young as he walked away.

"He doesn't have to feel guilty," Alida told them, looking to Dean to make sure he knew she meant it but he had made an odd choking sound like he was biting something back.

"What?" she asked, remembering their earlier tension.

"Nothing. Want to watch something that doesn't fuel my alcohol problem?" Dean asked with a grin and she blinked at the casual way he said it. She would be sure it was a joke except for the way Castiel watched him like a hawk.

Dean stood, strolling over to the television and the movies stored on its shelves. His fingers quickly skimmed over them before he pulled one off, popping it open and sliding the cd into the player.

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High, it's a classic," Dean told them when he turned around and Alida only watched him in surprise. He watched her for a moment, lips still quirked into a charming smile, but his eyes were serious.

"Excuse me, I need to go help, Sam," Castiel suddenly announced.

"With a phone call, really Cas?" Dean asked him sharply and Castiel didn't even try to reply.

"Thank you for the invitation. I did enjoy many qualities in the movie," Castiel told Alida and she grinned up at him.

"Thanks for watching it with me. I enjoy company for movie nights," Alida told him and he gave her a small smile before gesturing Dean to the couch.

"She wants company. Goodnight, Alida, Dean," he told him firmly before bidding them goodnight and striding away as if that was completely normal. Alida blushed, not quite looking at the man now standing in the middle of the room as if at a loss for words.

"I'm good, this one sounds less deathy," Alida told him and he made a face at her that caught her eye.

"Deathy? Really?" he asked annoyed and she rolled her eyes suddenly more certain, but then he was throwing himself on the other end up her couch, and she was thrown once again. She was about to tell him he didn't have to sit with her but then he was obnoxiously shushing her and pushing play on the movie. She glared at him, and he gave her a thin lipped smile that pretty much said bite me before he was stretching out, one leg on the couch and the other curled onto the floor.

She flicked his leg but otherwise didn't comment as his toes barely brushed against her thigh through the blanket. She relaxed with his apparent nonchalance at her presence, and complete acceptance of her sitting with him. Soon she was curled into her own end, head on the armrest and legs pulled to her chest. She stretched just enough to feel the weight of him on her blanket however, not actually touching her but there.

This time the film was clearly not related to anything scary and she was intrigued by the seemingly normal lives of teenagers. She had never actually been in a real school, although the Flock had a very short stint in one, and it was interesting to see the life other people had. She accidently snorted about the girls worrying about boys and she felt her face heat up as she caught Dean's grin.

But then she was hiding her flaming face behind her blanket, trying to seem as if she wasn't at the sex scenes, all too aware of the man at the other end of the couch. He didn't seem to feel the awkward awareness of how silent they suddenly were, or of how every inch of his body was situated like she was and so she ignored it as well, so thankful when it was over.

Soon her weariness was tugging at her, making her eyelids droop and her head start to ache as she strained to finish the movie. She had forgotten how worn out she actually was, the adrenaline from the first movie keeping her wide awake but now that she was relaxing sleep was tugging at her. She shuffled, trying to keep herself awake, but it wasn't long before Dean noticed that she was suddenly still, breathing evening out.

He leaned up, peaking at her to see her sleeping face. They had barely made it half way through their move. He watched her for a moment, surprised to see that she seemed tense even in sleep. She had clutched the blankets in her fist in front of her chest, and her she was frowning. He noticed that she had started sweating again and he slid over next to her. He hesitantly reached over to feel her forehead, not wanting to wake her. She stayed asleep, but she almost flinched at his touch, making him jerk away in return. He had felt how warm she was though and he wondered if he should carry her to bed.

It's not like she was heavy, but from her reaction just now he wasn't so sure she would stay asleep. Not to mention what she would do if she woke up while she was being carried. He didn't think it would go over well. He sat beside her, pondering his options and wondering if he should go find Cas to angel beam her to bed but then she was moving. He snapped out of his thought to stare at her, but she was still unconscious. It was the first time she had really moved while she was asleep though and he watched her for another moment, and her lips almost moved as if she was talking in her dream. He wanted to move the loose strands hair away from her face, let her sleep more easily and perhaps let her cool down more but he was too scared to touch her. Once more he considered his options.

* * *

Alida felt to hot. She felt the heat in under her skin, and she was frantic to put it out but she lay paralyzed on the floor. The tile was usually so cool, almost too cold to bear, but now it was warm as well, not bringing any relief to the flames in her veins. She tried to open her eyes, to search for the scientist, to see what they were doing to her, but she found that she couldn't. It was just darkness, and heat, and then she felt it, moving inside her head behind her eyelids.

She tried to scream in terror when she realized what it was, that it was still there, and the demon was still inside her. She felt its presence like slime oozing into her brain but no sound came out of her mouth. Then she opened her eyes and she could feel it looking out with her, but it was her in control. Her glee as she stared at the child cowering in front of her. She recognized the boy, his light brown eyes should be on the same level as her, like when it had actually happened, but now she towered over him, enjoying his horrified screams.

And then she felt the knife in her hands, the heft of the heavy blade. It was the dagger from the ceremony and then she was snapped out of it, crying and begging once more like she had done before but it wasn't the scientists or even the demon that pressed the blade forward. It was her. And she was screaming.

"Alida!" she heard, the man's voice making her jerk away and dive for cover but something was restraining her body and she fell. Pain joltted through her as she landed on her shoulder. She painfully jerked her arms up, pressing against the ground to get to her feet and escape but the ground tilted and her arms gave out.

"Alida! Hey, it's Dean, you're okay," he was saying and his voice was far too scared and caring. She looked up, baring her teeth in warning as she felt someone bend over her, and she flinched away, futilely struggling to get to her knife, but then it was Dean's face lowering into her vision. He crouched close, too close, close enough to touch her, but he didn't. He didn't hover over her either and when she focused on him she saw the way his eyes were wide in panic but his breathing was slow, steady. She recognized his wide green eyes, the line of his jaw, the curve of his lips.

"Dean?" she croaked, embarrassed at the weakness she could hear in her voice and then he was moving to help her.

"Yeah, hey, sweetheart, I've got you. It was just a bad dream, okay?" he was telling her soothingly and she felt her heart thud painfully in her chest, far too overwhelmed in his cascade of kindness. It was too much, from the abrupt way he was touching her arms and waist, to the endearment, and the look in his eyes.

He lifted her easily, letting her lean against him as he pulled her to her feet but then he was lowering her back to the couch, and moving to rub her back reassuringly. She jerked away from the touch, panic overwhelming her and he moved away, lifting his hands to show her that he wouldn't touch her. She realized she had lost her blanket and she picked it up without facing away from him, eyes never leaving his. Her shirt was thin, the kind that easily draped over the shape of her wings and so she tugged the blanket around her back before hunching over, trying to still her pounding heart.

"Sorry," she muttered darkly but then he was leaning forward, making her back up to look at him.

"No, you don't have anything to be sorry for. We all have bad dreams, believe me," Dean told her and she watched him for any trace of a lie but couldn't find anything but calm sincerity.

"I guess I was more unsettled by the movie than I thought," she admitted and her voice was so soft she was surprised he could hear her. Then she noticed the new layer of sweat sticking her shirt to her skin and added, "Or it was a fever dream, yuck."

"You are pretty gross," Dean agreed, surprising a laugh out of her and she felt it move through her in shock before it was replaced with something else. She bit down on the sob that wanted to follow, and she looked away as she forced the tears to settle.

"Hey, still bangable gross, not lake monster gross so it's okay," he reassured her and she snorted, smiling involuntarily.

"Thanks," she told him wryly.

"Any time. Now come on, let's get you to bed before you pass out," Dean told her as he stood. She stared at his offered hand, first impulse to immediately reject it and do it on her own, it was just walking but then she remembered the way he head swam. She took it gingerly, not quite using it as she tried to stand up but then he was tugging her up. Her stomach turned as she stumbled but then he caught her by the elbow, letting her lean against him.

"Got ya, let's go. I swear, it's like your drunk without all of the fun," Dean told her and she used her free hand to swat his arm. They were silent as they focused on maneuvering her to the room she was borrowing and they remembered that her door was history at the same time.

"Damn, Cas sure knows how to make an entrance," Dean noted as he took in the shattered remains of her door and the poorly treated dresser. She blushed in embarrassment as she realized he was staring at the dresser, realizing that she had shoved it in front of the door to keep them out but he didn't say anything.

"You need a door with a lock? I mean, Cas will just kick it in again in case of another emergency," Dean told her but he secretly hoped she would say no. It had been terrifying to wait until Cas could get them in, and what if Cas couldn't come back to help and something happened? She wasn't exactly in the shape to be shoving dressers in front of the doors, Dean reminded himself and he had kicked in enough to be confident he could get to her.

"Would it be much trouble?" She asked apprehensively and he impulsively squeezed her arm at the way she was still scared to ask for things, even something as simple as a locking door. She looked at him in surprise but he ignored it, realizing what he had done.

"Come on, it'll take two seconds. We'll just move you a room over," Dean told her, and she gratefully followed him into the next room that was basically the exact same as the other one. She set on the edge of the mattress, waiting for Dean who had went after her bedclothes. He returned quickly and before she could protest he was making her bed, cutting her off with a sharp, "I would let you do it if you didn't look like you'd keel over after tucking in a corner."

She settled into the bed, realizing it was her second night at the bunker. Dean locked the door on her side before stepping through and she watched the way the light outlined his profile handsomely as he turned back to talk to her.

"Hey, you can pick the movie tomorrow. Just call me if you need me," Dean told her and she felt herself warm at the promise.

"Can I hear your snoring from this room?" Alida asked and Dean laughed, a deep real sound that made her grin in pride at being the cause of it.

"Hey, babe, I don't snore. But you sure do, and I hope I can't hear it from my room," Dean told her and she scrunched up her face at him, ignoring the tingle of fear and nervousness.

"I do not!" She replied instantly and he smirked at her.

"Do too. 'Night," he told her, voice still warm with amusement.

"Goodnight," she replied softly and she heard the door click behind him.

She rolled over onto her stomach, letting the blanket fall around her waist as she considered her day. It was practically a useless day, she had achieved nothing and gotten nothing done and yet she felt pleased. She felt anxiety clawing at her trying to get her to panic as she considered that she was sick. She wasn't supposed to get sick. Was she dying? Was this some sick warning that the scientists had given her an expiration date?

She would fly until her lungs burst and fall out of the sky before dying in bed from some predetermined switch that they had built in her dna. Better yet, she would find one of their remaining facilities, and tear everyone in sight apart until they had to put her down. It was bloodthirsty but she felt a thrill at the thought of taking this away from them, of them having to deal with her carnage. She knew for certain that it would take quite a few bullets before she went down. But this might just be a cold.

She wondered what Dean, Sam, and Castiel think if she thanked them and went to rip people apart. They probably wouldn't be too pleased to know that she was actually a murderous maniac and if this was just a cold, then it would pass soon. She healed quickly, a cold would be nothing.

Even a demonic presence cold that will fade now that it was gone. Her skin crawled at the thought, remembering her dream, and she realized she was subconsciously worried that it wasn't gone. Not really, that it was still in her, or that it had flicked on some switch in her that would turn her into something just like it.

Her worries plagued her until exhaustion caught up to her, and for the second night in a row she was dragged into a restless sleep. In the morning she gratefully couldn't remember any nightmares, although the shadow of their memory was in her mind like an aftertaste. She found herself on the couch once again, her choice in movie, a romantic comedy, playing to Dean's groans although he didn't fight her since he had agreed. Once again Castiel and Sam joined them and Alida grinned when she realized that Dean was actually enjoying the movie, only occasionally grumbling to try and throw them off. She was still sick.

This started a tradition for the next three days, but on the second day Alida and Dean were left alone. Sam went to talk to that hunter on his own, and Alida heard Sam and Dean actually argue for the first time as Dean protested him going without him, but every harsh word Dean said she could hear the worry for his brother. She was surprised to hear the same in Sam's voice and she wondered if either of them actually listened to that or just the sharp words. Sam went with Castiel for backup, since Castiel could return for any emergencies, and Dean stayed with Alida since she was too sick to travel.

She had immediately apologized, telling him to go, but he hadn't even deigned that with a response, just told her to eat her soup. Then they had retreated to movies, and this time when it finished she was still awake. Dean asked her if she had even liked it, which started a debate over M. Night Shyamalan's directing style, even though she didn't even know who that was. The next day they ended up just talking after the movie, Dean lending her his phone to call the Flock, which turned into a talk that left out the specifics and involved a messed up child hood comparison.

She won of course, but she was surprised to hear how much he had missed out on as well, and she had briefly grabbed his hand, squeezing it before immediately letting it go. They didn't touch either than that, but she reveled in the fact that soon they would sit beside each other without even thinking about it, close enough to feel the other shift. The next time she made the call, she didn't even move away, just leaned so close he could feel the heat from her arm. He had watched on amused as she checked in, watching her facial expression range freely where the other person couldn't see her.

"Let me talk to, Max," she had said sternly and he had frowned at the way she said his name.

"Okay, what is going on?" she had asked, her tone baffled, and completely different from only a moment before and Dean assumed she was now talking to Max. She turned to Dean, raising her eyebrows in surprise and Dean smiled at her, not sure what it was about, but amused that she was involving him. Then she had palmed her face, quite loudly, and he dragged her hand away. She rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Max, you are going to have to let her grow up. I know it's going to be hard, but there really is no harm in it. How old is she? She is almost sixteen. Exactly, what were you doing at sixteen?" Alida was asking, voice amused and he could hear how fond she was.

"Ugh, fine, but only because I don't have to live with her. Put her back on," Alida complied grumpily and Dean watched as her chin lifted, hard look back in place.

"Now, I know you don't like it, but I agree with Max. I know. You are allowed to hate me. That just makes traveling across country to beat the crap out of what's his name if you don't listen that much easier. Try to talk to Max, because there is absolutely no way I think you should go on that date. You are too young, it is too unpredictable, and you know it is dangerous for you," Alida told her and Dean actually straightened at the steel in her voice, before snickering at the content. Her eyes flashed and he heard a loud voice from the speaker before Alida slumped, rubbing her temples.

"She threw it at you? Well, what did you expect, she's a teenager! Okay, now go actually talk to her instead of just shutting her down! Honestly, she is going to have to take risks this time, at least you can follow this boy around and figure out who he is," Alida was telling the other person, and Dean was pretty sure it was Max again.

"You're welcome, call you later," Alida had replied before ending the call, giving Dean a pained look.

"She's sixteen?" Dean had asked, actually surprised at how young the girl she had been talking to was.

"The youngest is only nine, but the rest are all around teenagers. Was Sam that hard to be around at that age?" Alida had asked. Dean had stifled his shock, hiding his dismay at the actual ages of these children. He couldn't imagine what they had been through, but he pushed it aside, focusing on her question. Which had started stories about Sam as an insufferable teenager. It slipped into something closer to melancholy.

Alida confided her fears, that her illness wasn't going to get better, and Dean had promised her with a fierceness that surprised her that it would. She didn't really believe him, but it surprised her that he cared enough to make the promise. Sam and Castiel returned, having not run into trouble other than a salt and burn, which is evidently what you did to get rid of ghosts, and information. They had a way to figure out who the demon was she had connected to, and they were stopping by to pick them up.

They were going to Oklahoma.

* * *

 **I am so sorry guys! This keeps happening, and I know it is annoying!**

 **Thank you for telling me, and I promise I will always double check no matter how late it is!**

 **I know this is kind of an empty chapter, and after being annoying too, so I hope you forgive me! I will update soon!**


	17. Erasers (Again!)

They were on the road immediately, Alida wrapped up and packed in the back seat of the 1967 Chevy Impala. Dean had immediately corrected her when she had asked if they were going in the 'black car' and now she knew far too much about his 'Baby' than she had ever wanted too. She couldn't help but grin though, as he went on about how it was a classic. She had immediately slid into the middle in the back whenever Cas flew off, and although he left the impression that it was to do something serious, she wondered if it was just the confines of the care had become to much to handle after hours on the road.

She understood that feeling, she was practically claustrophobic and she wanted to fly so bad it was causing her to twitch. Once you conquered the sky, with nothing but wind to surround you, there really wasn't anything else that could compare, and you couldn't stay away from it for long. Once again she shifted, listening as a new song came on. It was one she hadn't heard yet, and it was softer than the previous metal songs, but Dean of course immediately started humming along. Sam ignored him, seemingly use to him.

"Wait, so our first demon summoning went grand so you want to do it again?" she abruptly asked, and Dean sighed, reaching over to turn down the music. She hadn't said anything when they explained the plan, and so he was just waiting for her to protest.

"We didn't know what we were doing last time, this is different. It's just a minor summoning spell to ask a few questions, and no one will get hurt," Sam told her which was basically how he explained it earlier but she only scowled at him.

"Yeah, well, the term demon isn't really encouraging. There isn't any angel summoning spell that will get us a non-satanic source of information?" Alida demanded.

"Hey, the angels aren't really on our side, okay? Let's just say stabbing one in the face must've sent the wrong signals, although aren't they supposed to be big on the whole forgive and forget thing?" Dean asked and she stared at him, trying to find some sign he was joking.

"Well, it doesn't help when you insult every single one of them you come into contact with, Dean," Sam told him smartly.

"Dean," Alida scolded, and he twisted to glare at her, making her cheeks heat up.

"Don't get high and mighty, miss insulted me both times you met me! Besides, you haven't had to deal with their superiority complex," Dean told her, and she couldn't help but be amused at the conviction in his voice.

"Okay, no angels besides Castiel. Got it. But demons? Really?" Alida asked, still skeptical and honestly, completely terrified of the idea. She never wanted to face another demon again.

"We can handle it. Seriously, by now we're basically the demon whisperers," Dean told her with confident smile but it didn't comfort her in the least.

"Here, call your kids and complain to them," Dean told her at her unbelieving look, tossing his phone in her direction and she caught it quickly, fumbling with it in surprise.

"Are they concerned with your illness, Alida?" Sam asked her, missing the tense look Dean gave him.

"I haven't exactly told them about it. Don't look at me like that! I'm getting better, and they have more important things to focus on," Alida told him, dialing the number before he could protest. The phone was answered quickly, which surprised her considering their last conversation but it was Angel on the other end.  
"Nudge wanted me to tell you that she isn't speaking with you unless this is an emergency. Is this an emergency?" Angel asked cheerfully, sweet voice making Alida smile.

"No, it's not, Ang. Let's not bother her," Alida told her and she heard her inform Nudge that it was not an emergency.

"Okay, now she wants you to know that she isn't talking to, Max either and she is mad at both of you," Angel told her and Alida sighed, before chuckling at the teenager and her roundabout way of talking to her anyway.

"Well, you let her know that if she wanted to talk to me she could. But, she should forgive Max. We both know how hard Max tries. Now, how are you? Holding up with the civil war going on?" Alida asked her and she could practically hear the girl brighten.

"I keep getting headaches, they are so loud. Both literally and mentally, but no matter what I say they just keep getting mad!" Angel worried, venting her problems. She usually had one of the other girl to go to, but with both of them being mad at each other it didn't really work.

"It'll pass, Angel. Family always fight, it's what you do when you love each other. You don't have to fix it, and if it gets to be too much I'll come yell at them both, okay?" Alida asked her and was pleased to be answered with laughter.

"Okay! Where are you, anyway? Everything going okay with you?" Angel asked, and her tone was far too mature for a nine year old.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's good. We're traveling to Oklahoma to do some more research. Tell everyone I said hello, and call if you need anything," Alida told her and she ignored Sam and Dean's stern looks at her glossing over everything as she hung up, passing the phone back up.

"What?" she demanded and for once she got the full power of the bitch face that was a Sam Winchester special.

"You don't think they should know? That you are sick, and traveling with highly dangerous hunters to go summon a demon?" Sam asked her with enough sass to rival Max.

"Um, no, I think worrying about the Erasers that just showed back up in their lives while taking care of each other on their own is hard enough. Not to mention the supernatural creatures are real bomb I dropped on them last week, pretty much destroying any certainty they've ever had about anything," Alida told him frostily.

"Alida, you can't make choices for them, and they need to be prepared if things don't go well," Sam told her and she felt her protective instincts rise.

"I'm making choices for myself, if I don't want them involved until they have to be then that is my decision," Alida replied sharply and Dean glanced between them.

"Okay, you two, don't make me turn this car around," he told them in his best imitation of the upset parent voice, making Sam roll his eyes and Alida snort but the tension broke, each of them relaxing back into their seats.

"Shut up, Dean," Sam told him and Dean pressed his hand over his heart as if offended.

"You hurt me, Sammy, you really do," Dean told him tragically and Sam was about to reply when something slammed into the windshield before rolling off. Sam and Alida screams joined the sound of glass cracking, and Dean clenched his jaw, tried to keep the car on the road as it was jerked by the force of impact.

And then something crashed into the top of the car, denting the metal and making Alida dive into the floorboard. A clawed hand snagged the top, reaching in to curve around the open window and Dean swore, swerving to pull over so that they wouldn't crash. Alida knife sliced into the hand, and they heard a roar as it was pulled back. Sam looked back in surprise to see her, kneeling, knife in hand and eyes focused as Dean slammed on the brakes. She practically shoved Sam into the dash when he opened the door, not waiting for Sam to get out. She slammed it behind her, shutting him in and ignoring his yelp of surprise.

She turned to face the Eraser now picking himself up off the road, one not far behind him with curved broken wings. She glanced up to find more in the sky, but they circled clumsily on their grafted on wings not coming nay closer. She stared at the ones on the ground, feeling her feet press into the ground and her knees bend in preparation. Her knife was already up aimed at the closest ones chest.

"Stay in the car," she ordered them, which Dean promptly ignored, getting out and turning to find whatever had slammed into his baby.

"Dean!" Alida snapped, and Sam was using some interesting names to call her as she stood in front of the door where he couldn't open it.

"Hell, no! That thing crashed into my baby, almost crashing us, and do you see that damage? And since when are the mutts able to fly? What else is up the freaks sleeves?" Dean asked and Alida flinched. But then she was quickly moving towards them as Dean went for the trunk. She stepped in front of him, guarding his back. She glanced back annoyed when the creak of Sam's door told her that he was already on his way.

The sound of the trunk opened and soon Dean was passing out weapons, telling Sam to watch the sky. Alida didn't wait for them, going to meet the Eraser now on his feet and watching them.

"What do you want?" Alida demanded, her voice a threat all by itself and Dean turned with a curse as he saw her approach them on her own. He immediately followed, gun raised.

"Hand her over, and we won't hurt you," he told them, voice low and mangled like he had gargled with glass. It might have been the protruding jaw, filled with fangs that sent that impression. He had a gun on his hip, and a larger rifle over his shoulder but it didn't seem like he was going to use them. It wasn't like he had too.

"See, I don't think you're telling the truth," Dean told him conversationally, but the Eraser didn't even spare him a look. His dark eyes burned as he stared at Alida and she felt the grip on her knife tightening.

"You know you won't escape," the Eraser told Alida and she stared him down, not flinching in under his animalistic gaze.

"I think you are forgetting who you are messing with," she told him, and he watched her, debating what to do. They were hopelessly outnumbered and yet he hesitated, not wanting to engage and Dean glanced over at the ferocious look on Alida's face. He had forgotten that look, the past few days when she sat on the couch.

Every time she laughed or scowled at him, wobbling because of her sickness he had forgotten how dangerous she really was. The realization chilled him, the sight of the ruthlessness in her hard eyes but then he noticed the tremor in her hand. It was barely there, but he remembered how she had barely gotten better enough to walk, much less fight off the muscled animal across from them and the thought made his heart quicken in fear.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one that noticed, and the Eraser's gaze fell to her wobbling blade and he started that choking laugh that made the hair on the back of Dean's neck stand straight up. He shuffled forward more, stepping slightly in front of her but the Eraser snarled at him in amusement.

"You are weak, and the man that wants to protect you is nothing. You are the one who has forgotten what you are," the Eraser growled and Dean's gun rang out as he leapt, blowing through his chest. He jerked backward with a roar, straightening up so quickly that it left Dean reeling. He lunged towards them, rabid gaze on Dean and the gun still in his hand.

Alida charged, diving in before he could reach for Dean. She dove into his arms, shoving her knife into his throat so quickly that he couldn't even blink before he was falling before her. His claws dug into her shoulders, reflexively holding onto her. She shoved it away, getting out of his hold before his dead weight could drag her down. She lofted her bloody knife as shots rang out, and soon the other Eraser was descending on her.

A bullet to his face stopped him before he could reach her and she gasped in shock as he dropped, but then they were coming from the sky. There was nothing graceful about the Erasers. They stumbled and crumpled, awkwardly folding their patched on wings in a way that looked painful. Alida backed up as they surrounded them, closing in on the men. And then they attacked, with claws and fangs. She saw Dean swing a machete, easily taking off a head. It was brutal, and she had never been gladder to see someone be a vicious killer.

"Get back!" she warned Sam but then the Eraser had already snagged his shirt, pulling him close. He swung, fist hitting the Eraser's at such a hard impact it snapped him to the side, knocking him off balance. Sam raised his gun before he could regain balance. She sliced at another Eraser and he backed up into Dean's range.

They were quick, and dangerous and efficient, and soon the Erasers realized that too. They slowed their advance, looking at their fallen in shock. Not in remorse that they were dead, but that someone had actually been able to manage it. Alida swayed in exhaustion, her hand lowering on its own as she panted in a moment of reprieve.

"Cas, we could use some backup!" Dean announced, with a growl as he kicked an attacker away. Alida watched the men slinking forward, eyes roving over the ones closest. A slimmer one tried to dart closer and she lunged for him. He snapped at her, too fast for her to catch. Castiel wasn't here. She paused, waiting for him expectantly but the only sound that met her ears was a deep scream. She snapped around, eyes wide as she caught the sight of Sam being dragged backwards. An Eraser had leapt over the car, wrapping his arm around Sam's neck before Dean could react and now Dean cursed as he watched the Eraser growl in his brother's face.

"Let him go!" Alida screamed, reaching for him but she backed up whenever the Erasers grip tightened, turning Sam's face blue.

"It would be so easy to break his neck," he warned, and Alida stared at his face, healed scars across the bridge of his flattened nose. Alida debated attacking, trying to calculate the possibility of getting Sam away from him. Dean froze not willing to risk his brother's life and another Eraser ripped his weapons out of his hands, kicking the back of his legs to make him kneel.

"Dean!" Alida screamed, but she didn't go to him, frozen to the spot by the Eraser now holding Dean's own gun to his temple. An Eraser stepped forward, strolling between the two hostages and pausing before her. Everyone fell back in deference, obediently giving her room. She focused on the leader. She had met his kind before, powerful and ruthless. You only made it to top by being competitive, by being the best.

"We'll let them go if you come willingly," he promised her and she shook in shock, watching his face. The Erasers around him watched him in surprise. The Eraser on the car loosened his hold, letting Sam breath. She stepped back, all eyes on her as she dropped the knife in her hand.

Then she glared, her paralyzing fear being burned away by an overwhelming fury. She raised steady finger to unzip her jacket, letting it slide off of her shoulders, chin high and eyes fierce.

"Stop!" Alida commanded, wide wings snapping open to their fullest width. She didn't look away from the Eraser in front of her, but she heard Dean's gasp. She trembled at the sound, but then raised her chin staring down the startled leader.

"Let them go, their nothing. If you hurt them I will not stop fighting you, I will never surrender, and you will have to kill me. Or, you can let them go and you can take return with a prize. No one else has ever been able to bring me back, can you?" Alida offered, opened her hands. He stared at her, eyes moving over her wings. Then he grinned, eyes lighting at the challenge that he couldn't afford to turn down.

"Let them go," he ordered and the Erasers immediately released the brothers. Dean ran to Sam's side, holding him up as Sam coughed, and bruised throat trying hard to breath. And then she heard a familiar sound, and the Eraser in front of her turned to find the source of the wings, as if expecting the Flock to descend. He was met by an angel in a trench coat, furious blue gaze finding the injured Sam.

"You want me? Come and get me," Alida dared, calling out to them and the leader's eyes snapped back in her in time to see her turn and run. He yelled at them to catch her but it only took a few steps before she was kicking off, strong wings lifting her into the air with frantic wingbeats. She could hear them try to follow her, but as in all things concerning flying she was immensely better at it then them and she was already climbing into the sky as they tried to fight gravity.

A peaceful grin spread across her face unbidden as she felt the wind tear her hair away from her face, and seep through her feathers. Then her face stiffened, as she pulled out two of her knives, and she turned in the air. She made a wide turn, picking up speed as she descended once more. She was fast, wings tightening in to make her smaller as she headed towards earth and she saw Castiel easily dispatching the Erasers near him, Sam and Dean by his side but she couldn't leave them with them, couldn't let them get hurt because of her.

She descended with a battle cry, sliding on her feet as her wings slammed forward creating a strong gust of wind that swept the Erasers closest to her off their feet. Were wings closed with a snap as she turned, kicking one in the face, left wing snapping open to crunch into one behind her's face.

She twisted and danced, knives flashing as moved into motion. Her mind empties, releasing the pain of the wounds she was accumulating, and letting go of the sickness rising in her and making her weak. She was empty except for the next move and she was almost a blur as she kicked and stabbed, wings weapons in their own right. She grimaced as one slipped in under her guard, and the leader's face was smirking in front of hers as his knife buried itself in her side. She simply grabbed his wrist, pulling it out. Then she yanked him closer and snapped his neck, stepping over his body to meet the next one.

But there wasn't. The remaining Erasers were fleeing, abandoning the mission as their leader failed. As soon as they were out of reach, they took to the air, clumsily flapping before they could take off and Alida's eyes intensely searched for any remaining enemies to find nothing but dead bodies and three men staring at her. She stilled as she saw them, hands dropping to her sides and wings settling on her back. She felt far too exposed as she saw the blank look on Dean's face.

"You have wings," Sam breathed, and Dean's face changed to betrayal making her tense back up and wings flare instinctively. She froze as he watched them, and then she looked to Sam, seeing the complete baffled look on his face as if he had been ran over by a truck. Even Castiel looked stunned and her stomach was a knot of anxiety as they stood before her, staring at her.

"Alida, you-" Castiel started but then Dean exploded, stepping forward.

"Why didn't you tell us?" He demanded angrily, seemingly unaware that he gestured at her with the bloody machete in his hand. He seemed furious, and she stared at him, startled by the intensity of his emotion. She looked over him carefully but other than a few scratches he seemed fine. When she looked to Sam, Dean's face twisted in rage at being ignored, but Sam's injuries were minor as well. Castiel would be able to heal them. She looked back to Dean, waiting for his answer. Then she turned and ran.

She took off, ignoring Dean's shout of surprise before once again searching to escape with the sky. She was flying before they knew it, breathing heavy as dizziness overtook her and she fell a few feet before rising once more, trying to get to an air current where she could rest, but then her vision darkened and she felt a moment of terror as she thought she passed out midair. But then she was back on the ground, Castiel's hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Get off of me!" Alida screamed, and she stumbled as she tried to wrench out of his grip just as he let her go. She looked around to find them alone, miles of nothing but fields on either side of the road on which they stood.

"We're alone. I realize that Dean is going to react badly, and I needed to speak with you," Castiel told her and she backed away, wings arching as she considered flying away, but he had just snatched her out of the sky. There was no way she could escape from this angel. Her skin crawled at the thought.

"What do you want?" she asked defensively and Castiel stepped closer to her, eyes serious.

"Alida, I know what you are, I understand what I didn't see before," Castiel told her and she stopped breathing, staring at him in astonishment.

"Alida. I think the part of your dna, the part that isn't human. I think you're an angel."


	18. The Fight

"I'm not," Alida protested, shaking her head in denial. Of course she wasn't an angel, the very thought of it was ridiculous. But Castiel did not look like he was laughing. He moved towards her, serious and commanding and this time when she tried to step away she felt her knees buckle. All of her fight was gone, and her head was swimming with the pain and exhaustion that rushed to her head. Castiel gripped her arms in a iron grip, keeping her from falling to the ground.

"Here," Castiel told her and once against the pleasant sensation of his power washed through her, closing her wounds and burning away the sickness, but this time when it reached the fever he couldn't quell it dug deeper. She gasped as something within her responded. It was only a small flickering spark in comparison to his forest fire, but it was there, responding to him and then she felt her sickness disappear burnt away in under the overwhelming bright wave that was Castiel's grace.

He stepped away, leaving her on her own two feet and feeling better than she had in, well what was probably her whole life, but she couldn't do anything but stare at him in shock as she felt her very bones vibrate with renewed energy.

"It was your grace refusing to be healed, it was not prepared for the close proximity to something so demonic. Angels were not formed to be capable of being possessed. Your human body could not handle your grace fighting off whatever traces the demon left behind. You… shouldn't be possible. It's a very small amount, it is unlikely you were ever an actual angel. Only a piece of grace resides in what appears otherwise to be a human soul," Castiel told her and she felt a hysterical chuckle bubble out of her chest.

"I'd say it was about two percent, ninety percent human," she mused, and he squinted in confusion. She brushed her hair away from her face before tightening her hands into fists, and pressing them into her temples. She closed her eyes tight.

"What does this mean for me, Castiel?" Alida asked him plaintively, and it was the closest she had come to being desperate for someone to help her in a long time. She was just so very lost. She felt her wings quiver in fear, her muscles contracting with the urge to just fly away and escape these problems, but she knew they would only follow her into the sky.

"You are the same person you were mere minutes ago, Alida," Castiel told her firmly and she smiled humorlessly at the thought.

"You mean the person that killed without a second thought?" Alida asked him, remembering the Erasers lifeless bodies strewn around. At the time she didn't even blink at killing them, but now she wondered how many of them hadn't known they could live life another way. How many of them were innocent other than following orders? Any of those people, of those bodies could have been her only a few years ago. That would have been her if the Flock hadn't given her a second chance.

"There is no shame in defending yourself. Heaven is filled with God's soldiers. If the cause is just you must wage war," Castiel told her and she really looked at him, considering his words. How much had this angel seen in his lifetime, if that was even the right word for someone who was ageless?

"I can't go back," Alida told him, but her voice cracked betraying her. He watched her for a moment, and although it seemed like he didn't understand very much about the general human niceties, this was something he understood very well.

"Do not be afraid," Castiel told her firmly, but his eyes were deep with compassion that she had never known she looked for. She looked heavenward, wondering what kind of a God had sent an actual angel to live in this hell of a life where you had to kill or be killed.

"You should always be afraid. When you stop being afraid, you die," Alida told him bitterly and Castiel didn't have a response, only watching her with what appeared to be sorrow.

"If I have some pinch of angel genes or whatever why did a demon come through the connection spell?" Alida asked furiously, latching on to the sudden evidence that he was wrong but he took her question in stride.

"That is what we are traveling to Oklahoma to discover," Castiel answered her easily but then his eyebrows turned down, puzzled, "I admit that I do not understand what is happening but I will not let any harm come to you. I do not know how you came by your grace, but it is of Heaven."

"Don't get all emotional about it. It was probably pulled out of an angel they dissected before patching it up in my dna to see if they could grow an angel they could control. Too bad I'm mostly human, huh? " Alida asked bitterly, but immediately guilt flooded over her at the horrified expression on his face, and it was the most human he had ever seemed.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Alida told him, painfully wishing she had just swallowed her bitter words. She moved to rest her hand on his shoulder and he looked up hopefully at her approach.

"Come, talk to Dean. He will calm down. Then we can help discover the truth. I need to know if what you believe is true. I need to know which of my brothers or sisters we have failed," Castiel told her sorrowfully and her heart couldn't turn down the tortured and determined look on his face.

"Okay, I'll come see what they have to say. But I will leave for an instant if anything, and I mean anything, bothers me. I will not put up with anything that I didn't yesterday just because they know now," Alida told him firmly, and he nodded, fierce expression almost comforting her. It made it clear that they would have to deal with him if they even thought about trying anything that could scare her away.

"Then come with me," Castiel told her and this time he offered her his hand, letting her reach out to take it. She did after a moment, taking a deep breath to steady her and then once again she felt her body jerk. They were in an alley, somewhere close to a main street where cars and pedestrians were quickly traveling far too close for Alida's comfort

Alida tensed as she looked around, realizing that they were in the middle of a town and her wings were on display. Castiel seemed to realize it as well, or noticed her reaction because he slid out of his trench coat before draping the fabric over her shoulders. She jumped at his touch but gripped at the fabric gratefully, sliding her arm into the sleeves. It pooled around her comically but it made her feel safe, hidden within the extra fabric.

"Thank you," Alida told him as he led her around the corner of the building. He pulled open the door, holding it open for her, and she entered warily, scanning the crowd. It was a diner, full with the usual midday crowd of tired middle aged men on lunch break from work, a few gossiping young mothers next to the window, but in the corner booth sat two young men who looked up at the sound of the bell.

Sam seemed relieved to see them, if surprised, but Dean's face hardened at the sight of her. Castiel brushed past Alida, fiercely striding towards the brothers, and she purposely straightened her spine as she followed the bright white of his shirt. Although she had not known him long it was still strange to see him without his coat. She clutched the sleeves tighter.

"Dean, Sam," Castiel greeted them before sitting next to Dean. He actually had to press against him before the man relented and moved over with an angry mutter to give him room, but Dean's eyes never left Alida.

"Here," Sam told her, quickly sliding over so that she could sit into the booth next to him. She hesitantly sat on the edge, resting her hands in her lap. She saw Sam's eyes dart to her covered back before he snapped forward again, but it was barely a moment before he looked again, unable to control himself. He nearly burned with curiosity. Dean however, was burning with something else, and it made Alida shiver in trepidation.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked her, and she looked over to find him seemingly, genuinely concerned.

"Yes. Castiel, figured out what was wrong with me," Alida answered and Dean snorted something that sounded like 'great'. Alida stared at her lap for a moment before looking back to Sam.

"And are you okay? I thought you were, before I left," Alida told him hesitantly and Sam gave her a lopsided grin, one to cheer her up although all it did was make her feel even more guilt.

"We're fine, just a few scratches. Cas healed us before he went after you. Um, to see if you were okay," Sam told her and she nodded. She stared at the table in front of her, not sure what she should say although she felt like they were waiting for something.

"What the hell, Alida?" Dean asked into the silence, and at his harsh tone a few of the closer customers gave him dark looks, muttering about the younger generation and how rude they were. Dean frankly looked like he didn't give a twig, and he stared down an older man who only needed a second of being in under his furious glare to look away. He returned the look to its proper place, to the slender redhead now drowning in a trench coat and acting like she hadn't just betrayed them.

"Yes?" she asked, tilting her chin up in challenge, and her eyes hooded over, barely hiding the dangerous glint as her defenses came up.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Dean demanded and for a moment she thought she saw hurt on his face, but then he gave her a hard grin and asked cruelly, "What did you think we would give you to the slobbering hounds because you got hit with the freak stick a little too hard?"

Alida stood abruptly, knocking the table into the surprised Dean. Castiel stiffened as she turned to leave and Dean flinched in surprise at Castiel's firm grip as the angel grabbed his shoulder.

"Bye, Sam," Alida told him quickly, biting off her words in an effort to keep her anger behind her teeth.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," she told Castiel and then she turned, striding out in the midst of stares at her dramatic exit. She didn't slow down when she heard Sam angrily whisper at Dean, and she didn't turn to look when Castiel called after her. Instead she moved faster, slamming out of the glass door with enough force to make it rattle and consider shattering.

She was about to run when the door slammed open behind her, making her step into the alley, backing away to twist and face the approaching man. Her fists tightened as she saw Dean angrily following her.

"You can't just run away!" Dean told her before biting out a bitter laugh, "No, I should probably say fly off, huh? Seriously, what is your deal?"

"You want to know what my deal is!?" Alida practically yelled, literally feeling backed into a corner as her back hit the alley wall. Dean jumped in surprise as she raised her voice. She hadn't realized that she had kept backing away as he strode closer, looming over her until she was pressed against the bricks..

"How about the fact that you wanted to shoot me! Before you knew anything about me, Dean! Or how about you watching me, waiting for any sign that I was some freak you needed to put down! Well, guess what? I am! Here I am, a walking talking freak," Alida spat at him, stepping into his space until she could feel his short exhale of air against her face, and she was almost hysterical by the time she realized that Sam and Castiel had followed them. They were watching wide eyed by the entrance to the alley, and she leaned away from Dean, dragging her hands through her hair and trying to gain some semblance of self-control.

"We were honest with you, do you really think we tell everyone about us? We told you everything," Dean told her, and she rounded on him once more. This time he was more prepared for it when her voice came out in a furious growl, and he stared her down without blinking.

"Yes, you told me everything. Including the fact that you have an actual dungeon that you have no problem using. Every girls dream, Winchester, I just started to miss my chains! Not to mention the fact that I had no idea if you would think there was something wrong with me, that I wasn't human enough to be trusted," Alida told him, her voice shaking with fury more than her fear, and Sam moved in, breaking them apart before one of them throttled the other. He grabbed Dean's shoulder and pulled him away.

"Dean, if you think about everything she has been through, she has been honest with us. Far more than what should be expected from someone with so much trauma," Sam told him soothingly and Dean glared at him.

"She _lied_ , Sammy," Dean barked and Alida's anger flared up again.

"I never lied. I have done nothing but tell you the truth since I met you. Just because I didn't tell you about my wings, Dean, my weakness, that does not mean I lied. You want the truth so badly, but what have you done to deserve it?" Alida asked calmly, and Dean stared at her, jaw clenching before he turned and strode away. He didn't look at Castiel as he shoved past him.

"He'll calm down," Sam promised her, but he shared a worried look with Castiel that didn't really comfort the knot in her stomach.

"I will speak with him. You should eat," Castiel told her and her stomach took that moment to remind her that she had been surviving on nothing but soup and it was now blissfully healthy again. And empty. It growled loudly.

"Come on, I'll sit with you while we wait for him to cool down," Sam told her and she sheepishly followed him back into the café. They received a few dirty looks but otherwise no one stopped them as they sat back into their hastily abandoned booth. They were quiet as she ordered and once the waiter brought out her food the only sound was her devouring her hamburger so quickly she was pretty sure it was disgusting. Once she was done, she snagged the one out from in front of Sam that he had actually ordered for her anyway.

Sam kept staring at her as she ate, devouring her food in a way that did nothing to lessen her likeness to an animal, but she didn't have it in her to care. She caught him again, and when she felt less like she was going to starve and she started to slow down she sighed, setting her food on its plate.

"What do you want to know?" Alida asked and Sam jumped guiltily. But then he lit up with curiosity.

"It's fine, you don't have to talk to me about it," Sam told her quickly and she waved it off.

"Just don't ask about anything weird. Your brother has already asked about my female anatomy so I think you'll be fine," Alida told him and he gaped at her before rolling his eyes.

"Okay, Dean's an ass. Sorry about that, he's also my brother and he's one of the best men I know," Sam told her seriously and she stilled wondering why he seemed so intent on making her believe that, but then he grinned, leaning forward.

"So, you can fly. But how is that possible, wouldn't you be way too heavy for your wings to carry you?" Sam asked and she glanced around. No one was paying any attention to them.

"I told Dean that I was built differently, and that I was supposed to be lighter. It's because of my wings, they actually wanted me to be able to fly. My bones are hollow, like a birds. I also have a sort of extra pair of lungs, air sacs, for flight. Look, just google birds, it will probably explain better than I would," Alida told him and she was rather surprised by the wide eyed way he was watching her. It was almost amazed instead of just shocked or disgusted, and it made her blush in under his gaze.

"That is crazy. That is impossible, that is, I saw that, wow," Sam breathed, and she set back to watch his mind work. She could see him working through the new information she had given him, rearranging what he knew about the world.

"Does that hurt?" Sam asked and she raised her eyes in confusion.

"Leaning on," Sam looked around and whispered, "your wings."

She couldn't help but giggle at his stage whisper, accompanied by an eyebrow wiggle.

"Not really. If I put too much weight on them, or if I didn't support myself right then it would be uncomfortable, but this is just fine," she told him and he stared at her.

"Okay, but how do you have enough energy to support… oh. All of the food," Sam realized and she nodded, taking that as permission to shove the rest of her hamburger in her mouth. Sam made a face, and she tried to smile at him with her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunks.

"What part of bird dna would make your body repair itself faster?" Sam asked and Alida was about to tell him she had no idea when she hesitated.

"Can all angels heal people?" She asked, her voice sounding oddly out of touch, and Sam blinked at the random question.

"I think so, why?" Sam asked.

"Castiel believes that what he sees in my soul, a part of it actually is grace. An angel's grace," Alida told him and once again she found herself staring at a stunned Sam Winchester. She was relieved to see that he was taking it as well as she had. Although perhaps it would have been easier if he had just shrugged and said that they dealt with this all the time.

"That. Makes surprising sense," Sam finally concluded and Alida dropped her head into her hands.

"I have to tell the kids," Alida realized.

"Wait, you said they were like you. Are they, _like_ you?" Sam asked quietly, leaning across the table, and emphasizing words with a pointed jerk of his head toward what she presumed was her wings although she was currently leaning against the cushioned booth.

"Um. Yeah," Alida hesitantly admitted, but she was realizing that there was no way that they were not going to be involved. To give Castiel and the Winchesters the best chance of helping them they needed to know everything.

"Good to know," Dean grumbled, and Alida leapt in surprise, cringing away from his presence by the side of their table. Her heart beat frantically as she realized how close he was, and she cursed herself for not noticing him. She had been so engrossed with talking to Sam, and internally debating whether or not she should admit the Flock's secret that she hadn't even felt him walk up. Dean frowned at her reaction, but otherwise didn't mention it, facing his brother.

"Come on, let's go. We've gotta be on the road to reach the bar by midnight," Dean told them gruffly and Sam obediently stood. Alida followed hesitantly, almost weak in relief that whatever Castiel had told him had convinced him to keep helping her. She quickly stood and stepped around Dean, before swiftly exiting the diner once more. At least this time she wasn't hungry.

Castiel was waiting for them when they reached the parking lot behind the diner, and his presence just seemed off without the tan trench coat draped over his shoulders.

"Here, thank you very much," Alida told him quickly, slipping the coat off before gingerly handing it to him as if it was the most precious thing she had ever touched instead of just a scraggly dirty trench coat. She shivered in the empty parking lot, feeling far too exposed even though they were hidden from traffic.

"You gonna flap your way across the state or you riding?" Dean asked before Castiel could reply and she felt her face flush with heat and humiliation. It took her a moment to remind herself that she was not ashamed of her wings, but when she did she was furious at him for making her feel small for even a moment. She snapped them open, with far more force than was necessary so that they would dramatically snap in the air.

"You can keep the car," Alida snarled, smugly taking in his surprised reaction as he stared at the wide curves of her wings and then all he could see was a rush of golden feathers as she leapt into the air. She was up quicker than he could take in, and he stared after her as she rose into the sky. This time his brain hadn't shorted out at the sight, and he could take in the way the sun seemed to adore her. It lit up every feather, setting them ablaze with light and turning her hair into a raging fire, haloing her ivory skin.

"You should probably close your mouth if you don't want to look like an even bigger idiot than you already are," Sam told him and Dean snapped it shut in surprise before turning to glare at his brother.

"What's up your ass?" Dean asked, and Sam rolled his eyes before sliding into passenger seat.

"You are such a dick sometimes," Sam told him and offended Dean turned to Cas but he glared at him as well, blue eyes harsh before he was gone, his exit the opposite of Alida's even if it was just as dramatic.

"Okay, everyone blames me. On her side, even though you've known her for what, a week? I'm only your brother, but that doesn't seem to matter," Dean growled, but before Sam could insult him some more, or say something infuriating about how Dean was being unreasonable, Dean turned up the music, twisting the dial up so loud he could barely hear himself think, much less worry about Sam.

He turned to the highway, angrily gripping the steering wheel and glaring at the world in general. They had only been on the road for half an hour when the shadow caught his eye. It was following them, darting across the ground before disappearing but it would always come back and Dean peered up to see the general shape of something flying amid the clouds. If he hadn't known, he would have dismissed it as a huge ass hawk but he knew all too well who was in the sky.

He glared up at her, considering how high she was and if it was worth it to go twenty over the speed limit just to make her work a bit more but she quickly darted ahead. He watched her go in surprise before losing sight of her. Was something after her? He searched for any sign of something else in the sky but he couldn't see anything but a real bird of prey, swooping into the trees. The rest of the sky was clear, just a bright blue interrupted by wisps of clouds. He checked the rearview mirror but found no signs of pursuit.

Only a few minutes later she was back, lower this time, dangerously so in that he could actually start making out that she wasn't the right shape to be a bird, but she lifted back into the clouds before he could worry too much about her being seen. He turned down his music, ignoring Sam's look of inquiry.

The next hour on the road was filled with him watching out for her above them, and watching her flit between clouds and circle in the sky. He couldn't make out what she was actually doing, and it was starting to drive him crazy. It had to be exhausting, although he wasn't actually sure what her limits were he realized spitefully, but after a while he noticed her slowing, resting above them more often than not. What was she doing?

It wasn't until it was getting dark and it was getting harder to catch sight of her that he realized she had just been playing, stretching her wings after being sick, and confined to the ground for so long. He couldn't help but grin as he caught her doing a lazy loop, although it made his heart leap into his throat when he thought she was dropping out of the sky.

She was just playing. For some reason that thought completely amused him, wondering what it was like up there, trying to picture it from her point of view. Ridiculously high and a long long way to fall to a painful death of splatter, he decided with a shudder but Alida didn't' seem worried. In fact when he pulled over, and gestured for Sam to stay put whenever he got out, she seemed reluctant to descend.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the front of the Impala, facial expression carefully indifferent as he watched her come closer, features becoming more distinct but he could feel Sam's eyes bore into his back. Dean could feel a drop of sweat slowly roll down his spine.

It was almost breathtaking to see her land, gently dropping out of the air to step onto the hard earth as if she simply decided to let gravity visit her instead of it forcing her to the ground. He could feel his heart start to beat faster. She walked a few steps, wings stretching before folding easily and sliding against her back until they were almost completely out of view and Dean couldn't help but compare it to the way he had seen the Erasers land.

They just fell, crumpled into heaps and grotesquely collapsed their heavy wings like broken accordions. Just watching it felt horrifying to see the wings on their backs but as he watched Alida, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. She had landed farther away than was necessary and she stopped just in talking distance. It was a lot farther away than what would be casual and he couldn't help but feel guilty as she warily watched him. Did he actually scare her?

"Is there something wrong?" Alida asked carefully, and Dean shrugged. Suddenly restless he stood and stretched before moving closer so that Sam couldn't hear their entire conversation and make fun of him for it later. Alida carefully moved back however whenever he got too close and he swallowed the sudden swell of regret that made his stomach heave and his mouth turn dry. He cleared his throat, looking away from her wary face before forcing himself to meet her eyes.

"I needed to apologize," Dean told her and her eyes widened in surprise, her mouth opening the slightest bit. She froze, every muscle tense as she waited for him to continue and he stared into her bright eyes. It seemed so right for them to look like the sky.

"I still think you should have told us everything like we did you," Dean told her and her eyes flashed, lips curving into a snarl but he hurriedly continued.

"But I shouldn't have acted like that, and I shouldn't have scared you. I don't. I don't want to be that kind of person," Dean told her helplessly and he was surprised at how true it felt when he said it aloud even thought that wasn't what he had meant to say.

She immediately softened, leaning towards him as if he was the one that needed comfort. It felt like she would have embraced him if she could have but what was worse was the incredible ache inside of him that wanted her to more than he had ever wanted anything else. It scared him more than anything else ever had before too, and that was coming from someone who faced down Lucifer.

"So, yeah," Dean told her, quickly moving away to escape the understanding look in her eyes and push this conversation behind him.

"Thank you," Alida told him and Dean stopped, flashing her a grin that felt far too genuine.

"Hey, can I still have that ride?" Alida asked suddenly and Dean waved her onward, meeting her shy smile with one of his own as she moved past him and slid into the car. Dean followed, feeling as if he had no idea what had just happened, but he knew that something did.

"Hey, Alida," Sam greeted her, twisting around to look at her and Dean glared at the way Sam's eyes immediately went to Alida's exposed wings. She gave him a lopsided grin before sliding on her jacket that Dean had picked up off of the grown and tossed into the backseat.

"Heya, Sam," she responded and he happily smiled at her before turning back around. Alida immediately leaned back, shifting for a moment as if to get comfortable and then she half sprawled in their back seat as if it was completely natural to be there. It seemed she had gotten tired after all Dean noted, watching her yawn in the rear view as he pulled back onto the highway.

It felt as if a weight had lifted off of his chest and if he kept glancing into the rear view mirror more than necessary, well, he just wanted to make sure she was okay. He had gotten use to his angels being able to disappear at will. But every time he looked back, her blue eyes would meet his, lips curling into the smallest of smiles before she looked out the window.

* * *

 **Okay, so first, I'm sorry it took so long! First finals at school, then the holiday and a birthday, and I was asked to be a Maid of Honor! So busy!**

 **I hope you like the new chapters, sorry if it doesn't seem to be happening fast enough, tell me what you think! Also, thank you for being wonderful and reviewing! 3**


	19. A Ghost and a Favor

"Yeah, we're close. We'll handle it."

Dean hung up on the phone call, ignoring Alida's curious gaze as she leaned around the seat to watch him. He rolled his eyes at her, before addressing Sammy. He had already pulled out his laptop, researching the job that Dean had agreed to take.

"We'll handle what?" Alida finally asked, interrupting him and Sam grinned at the way she bounced excitedly. Dean turned the car on their new detour.

"Not we, you are staying in the car. Just a routine salt and burn probably, but you've never been on a hunt before," Dean told her and Alida looked between the brothers offended.

"Are you serious? I just helped with the werewolf thing!" Alida told them indignantly.

"Yeah, and that went swell," Dean told her and she glared at him.

"It did! Obviously I was a bit confused at first, but we got passed that," Alida told him.

"Dean, she practically single handedly fought off that entire pack of, Erasers? Yeah, those things, while sick. I think she can handle a ghost," Sam told his brother firmly, and Alida brightened with Sam on her side.

"Uh uh, I'm not watching her. If you want to, then it's your job to keep her out of trouble," Dean told his brother sternly and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Fine, she's probably going to be awesome anyway. You won't even have to do anything with Team Awesome over here," Sam told him smugly, holding up his hand for Alida. She gave him a high five, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically sense he immediately shook his hand, but they were still both grinning by the time they made it to the town, Dean still giving them dirty looks.

It turned out that neither one of them were quite right. Team Awesome turned into Sam being a bad ass and Alida getting thrown through a window really quick. Turned out that the vengeful spirit had something against women, somehow overlooked in their research, thanks, Sam. Although, her debut as awesome didn't work out, she did handle herself better than Dean had given her credit for, and she had rolled to her feet without a complaint, effortlessly swinging the iron rod they had given her.

It was a ghost town in general, almost completely abandoned thanks to chemicals spills and toxic waste and when they reached it the sun was completely down, draping the empty houses in darkness. Which made it extraordinarily easy to get into all of the abandoned houses, apparently the same route the teenagers had taken. No one would have known if the kids looking for a thrill hadn't ran into a real ghost. Luckily the Winchesters handled these things with an ease that was almost worrying, considering that they were searching for human remains, but once Dean set the lock of hair alight, the night had ended extraordinarily well.

She only had a few scratches and a large hand shaped bruise to show for it, and she considered that a win even though Dean's glower as he looked over her wounds didn't seem to agree. He had surreptitiously checked out Sam's in the same way, so Alida didn't complain, although she didn't glower at his back whenever he muttered about knowing better. She had frozen, but only for a second. And really, wasn't that to be expected when you see your first real ghost? It had been transparent for a moment, flickering before her until the man's soft face had warped into something grotesque with hate.

That had snapped her out of her paralyzed state in enough time for her to shout before being thrown through some glass. Altogether, she had fended it off enough for Sam to come to her aid, and Dean to end the thing for good. Sam thought she had fought well, and he even patted her shoulder. She didn't quite glow with the praise, she wasn't the type the told herself sternly, but it did make her happy.

"Come on, let's get out of here. I need a shower and somewhere to sleep. Let's hit the road," Dean ordered, but Alida agreed heartily, and so she didn't complain about the bossy tone. She practically skipped after him, catching up quickly and he glared at her chipper attitude. She just gave him a smile, and continued on, not bothered by Mr. Grumpy Gills.

"Here," Alida told him, offering her weapon and he tossed it into the trunk with the rest of their arsenal. It was a pretty impressive collection of absolutely anything that could something and Alida was just glad the boys didn't know about it. Iggy and Gazzy were dangerous enough with the remnants of alarm clocks, much less actual gun powder.

"Dean! So get this, there's natural caves here, basically untouched. I just know that we could get some untouched minerals, I know its fine buying the stuff but we never know what we are really getting," Sam told them excitedly after bounding out of the house. He was unperturbed by Dean's mulish expression.

"No, Sammy! There is now way in hell that I am going to climb up that mountain, crawl around a cramped little dirty cave so that you can dig up some rocks! It's already dark, and we don't have any equipment, and we can lost, and it will turn into the Descent in there and I'm not saving you because you wanted some fresh dirt," Dean told him, and Alida tried to peer at the mountains in the distance that they were squabbling about. She could see better in the dark, and advantage from her dna she supposed, but that was only when the light was dim, not nonexistent. In the starlight she could barely make out the shape of the jagged rocks.

"Look, you don't have to come! Just hang out in the car with Alida while I go up," Sam told him, and Alida immediately frowned.

"That seems very dangerous, Sam," Alida told him, and he immediately stared at her with betrayed puppy eyes.

"I could go with you though," Alida guiltily added and he sighed.

"No, it's okay. You're claustrophobic, I don't want you to have to deal with that," Sam surrendered, and she felt her face heat.

"I'm not scared," Alida denied and he gave her a sweet smile, before moving to get in the car.

"That's okay, Dean would be and he'd make us take him along, and then he would bitch the whole way," Sam told her conspiratorially.

"I'm not even disagreeing, because first of all you are an idiot," Dean told him and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Be nice to me, it's almost my birthday!" Sam told him with a whiny pout of long lost teenager. Auria straightened in surprise.

"It isn't yet, Sammy, so shut your pie hole," Dean told him and continued to lightly bicker on their way to a hotel for the night. There was no way Dean was going to drive all the way through, not smelling like dead guy, and if they were renting a room might as well get a night of rest. He pulled into the first cheap motel he could find, going in search of a night clerk to rent from while the obnoxious duo chatted about what Sammy wanted minerals for. He left Sam in the midst of the most boring way to describe a hex bag ever. Thankfully the professor was done with his lecture by the time Dean came back, and drove them around back to their room.

"Wait, Alida, do you want your own room?" Dean asked as he unlocked the door, and realized that there was absolutely no privacy what so ever. He blinked in surprise when trying to consider it from her point of view. He was just so use to this, habitually getting the one room and sharing it with his brother that he didn't even think that she might be uncomfortable.

Alida followed them in and although she grinned at him, her fingers were tightly clasped around the strap of her bag as she looked around. He had gotten their usual room, with two beds and he was already getting prepared to go back out and get her another one when she shrugged.

"I'll be fine. Just, don't freak out on me and I won't freak out on you. Probably," Alida told them, which was not too reassuring.

"Hey, Dean and I can share, we've done it before. Do you want the one closest to the door?" Sam asked easily.

"Oh, no there's a couch. I'm smaller and I've slept on worse, so don't even worry about it," Alida told him, throwing her bag onto the sad looking couch in question.

"Alida, you don't have to sleep on the couch," Dean told her and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I know, or I wouldn't. I'm quite contrary that way, but I want to, so I'm going to. Now go take your shower before I go use all of the water," Alida threatened him and he wearily sighed, worn out by the long day. First there was an attack, then she had wings, then she ran away, then she came back, oh look, now she's an angel, then she tries to run away again, and then he had to apologize, and then a freakin ghost. He was just done, and so he threw Sam a look so that he could handle it and went for his shower. He heard Sam trying to convince her to take the couch, and not really getting anywhere, as he turned on the water and just decided to just enjoy that it was actually hot.

He got out faster than he wanted too, just scrubbing himself clean before stepping out of the warm spray, but after his slip up with the beds he was determined to be more conscientious about the fact that Alida was staying with them, and using up all of the hot water would definitely get him into trouble.

By the time he came out however, Sam had already surrendered and ordered extra blankets and she was curled up in under them on the couch. She was far too still to be asleep, but he might have believed that she was anyway if he hadn't actually seen the way her breath would shake her shoulders, or she would twist into the pillows when she was actually unconscious.

"Last chance," Dean warned and he heard her sigh before she rolled over to peer at him with her bright blue eyes, the rest of her covered in under the blanket. He smirked at the way her hair messily stood up, and her eyes narrowed a bit at him poking fun, but she really did look adorable.

"I'm good, Dean. Get some rest," she ordered and he pursed his lips as he considered telling her not to tell him what to do but before he could she was rolling back over and curling up in a ball, easily fitting into the corner. It turned out she could tuck all of her long limbs into a surprisingly small space, and all that he could see was the bright splay of red hair atop the white pillow.

"Night," he told her instead and took her advice, falling into his own bed. Sam went for his own shower, trying to tiptoe around the couch and Dean glared. He never tried to be quiet when Dean was the one sleeping!

It wasn't long however before he was lulled off by the sound of running water and Alida's breathing, his weariness not giving him any time to reflect and panic. He'd do that tomorrow, for now he was comfortable with his brother safe and Alida comfortable and a hunt well done.

"Dean," Alida whispered, poking him in the cheek when he didn't respond. She leapt back in surprise as he rose with a flash, knife slicing through the air where she had just been standing. When he caught sight of her, his eyes quickly widened in horror thinking he had hurt her but she grinned at him, making him relax.

"Nice knife. Just happy to see me?" She asked with an arched eyebrow, making him snort at her lame joke. Then he realized she had woken him up in the middle of the night, and was now hovering over his bed.

"What do you want?" he growled while rolling over as if he was going back to sleep. He hoped it hid the blush on his cheeks and the way he definitely tried not to stare at the way she was wearing nothing but a t-shirt. Although he almost growled when he realized that it was Sam's, large enough to hang right above her knees thanks to his moose stature.

Evidently he had stared after all. He nearly gasped in disbelief when she leapt onto the bed, purposely invading his personal space in a way that she never had before. Before he could get too worked up into a full panic attack about listing reason why she should definitely not be coming on to him, and convincing himself to ignore the fact that he was listing reasons why she should stay right where she was- high on that list was the soft skin he felt as her bare legs nudged his- she was bludgeoning him with a pillow and any sexual thoughts were beat out of him leaving him with relief, a lot more regret, and a mouth full of fabric.

"What the Hell!" he exclaimed after wrangling the pillow away from her, and then he jumped as she lunged closer to clasp her hand over his mouth. He would have been ready to stab her thinking she was a shape shifter if he didn't see the excited light in her eyes as she glanced to see if the Sasquatch was still asleep. He could feel the way her uncharacteristic giggles shook her body.

"Shhh, don't wake him up. I need a favor," she whispered, looking at him expectantly before realizing she still had her hand held over his mouth. She took it away sheepishly but didn't move back. They barely brushed as they breathed together, caught in a silence that made his heart seem to beat wildly in his chest until it almost drowned out the sound of her soft sigh. He was suddenly caught by how beautiful she was.

It was always obvious, but the way she held herself and never let down her guard made it a distant cold beauty of ice that pale in comparison to the way her face had lit up right now. It was ridiculous, that he was only transfixed by the woman now that her face was bare, hair wild and unbrushed, and she was dressed in a raggedy old t-shirt. He had seen many beautiful women before but she had come alive in front of him, and it made him ache to get closer to that fire. He realized that he had been staring for far too long.

"Yeah, sure," he agreed hastily, moving to get up and get dressed to put space in between them. He heard an excited squeal from behind him when he agreed that made him grin but he hurriedly pulled on his jeans, feeling far too exposed, which was ridiculous considering that he was perfectly comfortable parading around naked in front of most people. It was only when he was pulling on his over shirt, and turning to find that she had pulled on her own jeans and bouncing in surprised excitement as she waited on him that he realized he had no idea what he had agreed to.

His stomach sunk a little in nervousness but then she caught his eyes with hers and they were warm and bright, and she was pulling on his open shirt to tug him along and suddenly he decided whatever it was, it would be worth it.

He immediately regretted his decision. They had climbed into the Impala, Dean petting the dash as she purred to life. Then he had turned to ask what the hell he had agreed to when he saw the squirming out of the t-shirt she had still seen wearing.

"Alida!" Dean exclaimed in a slightly high pitched way, and if anyone ever accused him of it later he would deny until he was blue. As it was, Alida sent him an amused glance, now baring more skin than clothes as she sat in her bra that turned into a chuckles as he looked away, face red.

"Shush. Calm down, I'm not trying to take advantage of you, Dean," Alida told him, but the sound of her slightly lowered voice above the sound of clothes rustling over her bare skin didn't help him calm down any.

"Dressed," Alida told him with another chuckle, a rich sound that didn't taunt him to take a peek in the least. He turned slowly to find her covered in a loose halter top, baring her shoulders, and a swathe of skin at her midriff and amusement in her eyes. He would have usually been able to ignore it after a survey and a suggestive wink. But that was before she had pounced on him at midnight, waking him in her underwear, and then proceeded to strip.

Now that he had a much better idea of what lie under her top it took a lot more self-control to keep from reaching over and pulling it off again to run his hands over the pale skin and shifting muscles.

"Should I throw a dollar at you?" Dean offered with a smirk, but the intended douchebag insult was lessened by the genuine heat in his eyes and the slight wobble of his lips. Alida blushed, caught in his green gaze. She shifted nervously, finally breaking eye contact and looking away with a soft breathless laugh that was almost sad.

Dean frowned, about to ask her if she was okay when the sound of ruffled feathers made his eyes widen and turn to find her back exposed with her wings stretching slightly. He was still entranced by the sight of her, facing away into the dark window with her hair a dark ruby as it spilled over her pale shoulder and between her large golden wings.

His eyes followed the curve of the arc closer to him, his fingers twitching to trace the hard edge that framed her slender back and its smooth exposed skin. The shirt ended right at the edge of her jeans, a thin line of skin before the denim stretched over her curves. Her wings were still, folded and held only slightly open as if on display while still in the confines of the car. Dean frowned as he realized she had made the noise on purpose, as if the remind him that she wasn't human. She stared out the window, no longer looking at him as she let him stare.

'Nice ass," he told her spitefully, startling her into laughing, a short harsh sound. His eye watched the way it caused her back to move, wings shifting, flaring at the motion and making her back ripple. He wondered how she would move if he trailed a finger down her spine. She would most definitely punch him.

"Let's go," She said instead of addressing the unspoken tension and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Well, I would, sweetheart, if you told me where we were going," Dean told her with a grimace.

"Oh, sorry, yeah. We're going to the cliffs," she told him and he groaned, throwing his head back. She punched him in the arm, not too gently he might add, and he glared at her.

"You agreed!" She exclaimed and he made a pint of rubbing his arm

"Whatever, She Hulk. Driver chooses the music," he told her before driving into the night. He waited only until he was out of the hotel parking lot to blare Metallica. He looked over to find her grinning, window rolled down and blowing her hair around in wild tangled. Maybe he didn't really regret it after all.


	20. The Cave

Alida lifted her face into the wind, hoping it would cool down her face that still felt too warm. She kept looking at Dean. She could feel how close he was, and she was very aware that she could reach out and touch him if only she reached out. Around the third time she found herself admiring him in the moonlight, he looked back at her, and she blushed at being caught.

He smirked at her, making her roll her eyes and lean back into the wind before she did something stupid, like reach over to touch the bow of his mouth or the curve of his jaw. She crossed her arms, firmly pinning her hands where they wouldn't get ideas of their own. She didn't know why she was reacting this way. Well, that was a lie, because she did. It was the way he looked at her.

She could still see that warm molten look in his eyes, and that's what made her want to slide closer. Along with the annoyed glint when he realized what she had done instead of being uneasy, or even repulsed, like she expected whenever she reminded that she was a freak. Instead he had made a quip about her butt.

She wished that it wasn't dark, because she was certain it was the shadows giving her false bravery whenever she looked over at him once more. He was tapping to the beat, mouthing the words and she watched his lips with far too much attentiveness for someone like her. She didn't have wants, or _feelings_.

The closest that she ever got was when she decided to shift her loyalties to the Flock, but even that was barely anything to this. That was logical. The School was perverse and painful, and when it came down to deciding to protect Maximum Ride and her bird kids or killing them for the School... it only made sense that she chose the children and never looked back. This was unreasonable, and unfathomable, and uncomfortable. There were plenty of adjectives to use, and none of them were positive and the conclusion was easy. Dismiss these emotions. But it wasn't working.

Even now she shivered with the memory of that barest of seconds, just a pause that danced around so many possibilities and yet it was over before she could even take in what was happening. She had pushed away hours of pain, separated them from herself into somewhat of a distant echoes that she could only dimly recall, but she couldn't do the same with this moment. Because he had seen her.

Absolutely all of her, and not just on the surface although his eyes had traveled over her skin and even her wings with something akin to approval and that in itself confused and thrilled her. It was like he had looked into her, in under the layers of training, and pretending, to see who she really was. Alida didn't even know who that was.

Alida shifted, consciously turned away from him so that she didn't stare, or touch, or even think about him. It only made her more aware of how far away he was, and gave her time to remember. Alida glared at the rolling countryside, eyeing the mountains that quickly came closer considering how much over the speed limit they were traveling, but Alida didn't complain. She was use to watching everything from above, where everything was so distant and far away. It was an entirely new sensation to watch the world blur fast this close, so close that if she reached out into the wind she might touch it. It was unsettling as well if wonderful.

The Impala purred as he turned down the dirt road, headlights capturing flashes of trees in bright light before they too were gone and they were turning into an empty parking lot that sat at the base of the nearest mountain. Alida leapt out of the car as soon as possible, for once not escaping the confines of the metal but the company within. She breathed deeply once outside, ignoring Dean's grumbling as he cut the engine and left them in a silence that made Alida gaze into the dark warily. Soon the sounds of nightlife returned, the rustling and calls of small mammals and insects having been startled by their arrival and Alida relaxed into the calming sound.

Dean strolled around his car, patting the hood affectionately, before coming to stand beside her and she tensed up once more before she forced herself to at least appear unconcerned. Suddenly he was staring at her, pinning her in the dark with an intense stare that she could feel, making her freeze in her tracks. She couldn't read his expression, his face mostly shadows in the dark and she was suddenly grateful that he couldn't see hers either because she was certain she looked terrified. She sat off up the trail, not waiting for him to vocalize whatever it was he so desperately wanted to say.

Dean groaned and literally pouted, not bothering to act like a grown up when she was the one giving him the silent treatment and stomping off after dragging him out of bed at an ungodly hour. Even the sun was still asleep and that was a big endorsement to what he should be doing, but as he watched her move off up a hiking trail of all the damned places he found himself following.

He mentally cursed all of the nature loving freaks that thought it would be a good idea to walk up mountains for fun, but it was just a background track to the random questions that popped into his head. They weren't even good questions, like why in the world was he here? They were more along the lines of, what was wrong with Alida, and if he had upset her, and why wasn't she talking? After all of the times that he had shut down Sammy for wanting to talk about feelings, he was suddenly very sympathetic with his emotional little brother. This sucked. And although he would usually be complaining, loudly and obnoxiously at which he was the best, for some reason the way she was acting made him remain quiet, at least until he could catch up to her and figure out how she was reacting to what he said.

Now, all he could see was the back of her blasted head, as she practically ran away from him. He was surprised to find that instead of a shadow he could start making out the reddish hue of her hair and the grey of her top. It was getting lighter out, and the thought eased at least a little of the worry he felt hiking up a mountain in the pitch dark. Suddenly she slowed, shoulders slumping out of their defensive pose and he picked up speed, pretending that the way he was breathing heavy was because of thin mountain air or some bullshit even though he knew they weren't even close to being high enough for that to affect him.

"Sorry," Alida surprised him by announcing whenever he caught up, and he looked askance at the way she was staring pointedly ahead and not at him. Well, that was definitely a change from the car, he thought with a smirk, but his smugness didn't cover the sharp concern he felt at the way she was avoiding him completely. Something was definitely wrong.

"For what? The buttcrack of dawn hike that even Satan wouldn't force on me or your understandable appreciation of my good looks?" Dean drawled with a smug grin but he caught her flinch the slightest bit before she fought it down with forced nonchalance.

"Both. I should've just flown but I didn't want to get the wrong thing," she told him softly as if admitting some fault and he frowned in confusion, eyebrows meeting in the middle of his forehead as things started falling into place with and he stopped in horror. She stopped, turning towards him in surprise.

"No. No way, did we seriously come all of this way for dirt?" Dean asked dangerously and her eyebrows lifted imperiously.

"Why else would we be out here?" Alida asked as if he was the slowest person on earth, not giving him any credit for having been deeply asleep and then unfairly distracted by stripping.

"I don't know! Bird reasons!" Dean shouted before flushing at the look of surprise on her face, her mouth parting slightly. And then her lip twitched, and he growled in warning only making it twitch back up and then she was laughing, full on chortling at him. He crossed his arms indignantly, glaring at her in embarrassment, but even through his anger he admired the long length of her throat as she tossed her head back and let go. It was actually a wonderful sound, not the flutey giggles of women trying to imrpess or even the soft secretive chuckles he had heard from her before, but a loud rich sound that captured his attention and actually crept beneath his defenses, reluctantly dragging a smile out of him as well.

When she finally stopped laughing at him she had to wipe the water from the corner of her bright blue eyes, lighter than usual in her merriment and seeming to stand out in technicolor in the dim dawn light. Her smile was real, stretching wide and making her face brighter than usual and so open that he found himself stepping closer to bask in that pure happy expression that he had put on her face. But when he moved it flickered, like a curtain dropped across the stage and the distance was back in her eyes, although she still smiled. Now that he had seen the real thing, it was all too obvious this was a poor imitation and he frowned in unease that he had made her retreat.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked, and he could see her usual reply on her lips, the I'm fine that he wouldn't believe, and she must have seen the warning in his because she bit it off, chewing on her words for a moment.

"Nothing you've done," she assured him, and the same part of him that was sure he could've done something to be better over all of the years didn't believe her.

"Okay," he told her anyway because she obviously didn't want to tell him, and he couldn't blame her if she didn't want him. Now he wasn't an idiot, and he had his fair share of romances. He knew that she wanted him, in the same way he had seen one night stand have a fleeting desire for him but he didn't fool himself into thinking that it meant something. If anything he was a walking lesson that it didn't. And it wasn't like he wanted her to want something anyway. That would only be complicated and messy when he ended it. Right?

He wasn't sure why he felt so disappointed then as they continued their walk, now full of a heavy silence if at least they walking together. They eyed the first cave they came too, up a thin trail that was obviously not supposed to be walked on although a determined someone could use the cracks in the rock cliff face as hand holds. There were signs strapped over the beginning of the thin path, and another across the opening of the cave that warned hikers against going in. It was even painted in a nice red with little skulls.

"Think Sam's stuff would be in there?" Alida asked and Dean let out a long suffering sigh.

"Should be," Dean told her reluctantly, but they had come all of this way and by the look on her face she was determined whether he assisted or not.

"I'll go first, if you start to fall grab on. I'll try to slow you down enough that nothing gets broken," Alida told him, agilely leaping over the sign and he blinked at her, not sure if she was joking or not. She had sounded completely serious. This time Dean let himself whine.

"Seriously, this is the stupidest thing I've ever done, and believe me, I've done some stupid things," Dean told her, not bothering to keep his voice down and he heard her chuckle as she slid one hand against the wall. He followed anxiously, accidentally stepping on her foot when he glanced down and realized that they were getting far higher than he had thought. He mumbled an apology as he swallowed thickly, digging his fingers into a crack in the rock to steady himself. Alida stopped to look at him, twisting around in a way so close to the edge that made him reach out to grab her although she didn't seem concerned at all. She peered up at him curiously, squinting as she took in the sweat starting to glisten on his face.

"Shut up," he growled as her eyes widened in realization and this time the quirk of her mouth wasn't attractive in the least.

"I thought Sam meant you would be scared because he was in danger, I didn't know you were scared of heights," Alida thought out loud and he glared at her.

"I'm not scared of heights! It's a long way down and I for one don't have wings if I fall. It's an understandable anxiety!" Dean protested and the understanding look she gave him coupled with a sweet smile would have made his knees weak anywhere but on the two feet of ledge they happened to be standing on.

"I could barely get in your car Dean. I'm not one to judge, and you are right, this is completely understandable. I suppose I'm just use to heights," Alida told him, logically dissecting the situation with a firm nod and then she was turning back around, making him grit his teeth against his nausea.

"Come on," Alida told him, and he jumped whenever her hand wrapped around his, immediately cursing his reaction. He wasn't twelve, he didn't get scared when a girl tried to hold his hand, and Alida was just trying to make sure he didn't plummet to his death.

"Here, so I can balance," Alida called back to him, his only warning before she was wrapping his fingers in her belt loop instead and he gulped at the contact of her bare skin against his knuckles. Mostly he was touching jeans, and it was just the small of her back, but he was suddenly hypersensitive to the sensation. Then he almost let go in horror as she let go of her grip on the wall and started forward, tugging him along.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean cursed and she shot him a condescending look that just made him tighten his hold on her pants as she shifted once more.

"Will you please look where you are going!" Dean ordered gruffly and he could see her sigh but she didn't reply, in deference to his very strong fear that he wasn't admitting to having and then she was stepping into the cave entrance, the wider area making it safer for her to reach out for his hand and turn to face him. She lead him the last couple of steps, before moving out of his way as he immediately leapt into the cave where there was certainly more room and much less of a chance to fall to his death.

"See, you did fine," Alida told him confidently and he glared at her.

"Alright, let's do this!" Alida announced, pulling her cellphone out to use it as a flashlight. She cast the glow across the cave, revealing that it was deeper than either of them had thought.

"Did you bring anything to put it in?" Dean asked, back to being annoying now that he had solid ground under his feet, but he did not want her trying to convince him to carry it in his pockets because she hadn't thought this through, this was his favorite jacket. She only gave him a disappointed look before pulling small plastic baggies out of her other pocket, apparently the kind you put leftovers in.

"I casually asked Sam a few questions while you showered. He had some bags he said he would've used, and I just so happened to borrow them," Alida told him and Dean didn't know whether to smirk at her cleverness or frown at her easy thievery. Considering that Dean had booked their room under one he decided to just be impressed.

"Good thinking. Here, I'll show you what kind the nerd probably wanted and you can do all of the work," Dean offered graciously and she rolled her eyes at him before falling in beside him. She peered curiously at the kinds of minerals Dean found, after some thinking because, seriously, they usually just bought this stuff but he had cracked open a science textbook before, not that Sam would believe that.

Alida didn't question him though, listening avidly as he explained what it was for. He was surprised when she pulled a knife from absolutely nowhere to scrape some of it into the baggies, and he spent the next few minutes trying to figure out where she had been hiding it. In all of the tight clothes all he could do was imagine and that was taking him down a very dangerous path. Soon she was able to put her phone away, the sun rising enough to light her work. They lapsed into companionable silence, just the sound of their breathing accompanied by the scratch of her knife against stone. Soon all of the bags she had brought were full, and he found himself reaching out to take them. He ended up sliding them into his pockets after all.

"Think that's enough?" Alida asked in concern, biting her lip and moving her hair out of her face with a flick of her fingers. Dean watched her for a moment before he found himself asking.

"Why is this so important to you?"

Alida blinked in surprise, expression carefully guarded as she tried to figure out what he was thinking, but for once she couldn't read him either. She looked at the ground, avoiding his questioning gaze as she played absentmindedly with her knife. Dean watched her hands, casually trailing over the sharp edges and twisting the handle with such ease that it was actually off putting, a reminder that she was dangerous. But when she spoke she was still staring at her feet and her voice was soft and worried.

"It's going to be his birthday. I can't, I don't know what else to get him, and I don't know how you two feel about birthdays but for us, it's. It's a pretty big deal," Alida admitted, eyes glancing up to see his face before looking back down, embarrassed but Dean found himself touched by the simplicity of her reasons. For his birthday.

"You and the other kids?" Dean asked gently, stepping closer, and something in his voice made her lift her head to look at him. She nodded.

"Max explained it to me," Alida told him, and her voice was kind and almost he dare say loving, when she spoke his name. Dean felt his stomach knot, something hot and ugly. He was jealous. Dean mentally took a step back in shock as he realized what he was feeling and Alida must have sensed his change because she was back to wary, watching him speculatively. He hated himself for removing that softness from her face and he forced his own emotions away to get back to that.

"We've always celebrated. Never the best, and we didn't always have money, but we tried. I think that meant more than anything we could have bought," Dean told her, remembering his brothers grateful hazel eyes whenever Dean would get him something, no matter. He felt himself smiling, a genuine expression that seemed to reach Alida because then she was smiling too.

"I know I haven't known you long but in the short time I have traveled with you it has been very obvious that you are good men," Alida told him and he was stunned by the pure belief in her voice, in her eyes.

"He is, but I'm-" Dean's voice broke as he struggled to make her understand that she didn't know anything about him. Her eyes softened, and she tentatively lifted her hand, slowly laying it against his cheek as if he was as tartled horse and she needed to calm him. Or maybe it was her that was afraid, for when he leaned into the touch he felt her hand shaking and he covered her hand with his own.

"No matter what you think of yourself, Dean Winchester, I can see you. I can't see your past, or your mistakes, but I don't have to, not to see the man that you are today and I happen to like him just the way he is," Alida told him, her voice a secretive whisper as if she spoke something so precious she didn't want anyone but him to hear. He felt himself leaning in closer to hear her words, his heart aching to believe them as he pressed his forehead to hers. She broke whatever spell held them with a shaky breath, pulling away from him and forcing a smile and he felt her loss as a sharp pain that was far too deep. It felt like she forcefully ripped herself away from him, when all she really did was take a step away. he saw her smile fall as she turned away and walked to the cliff edge.

Without a second thought for the height, Dean moved to stand next to her, staring at the side of her face. She looked so lonely. Here, standing on the edge of the earth with the wind on her face and all of the world below her, she bathed in the sunrise, the pastel colors bathing her skin like an artist in love with his muse. It gave life to her red hair and sky blue eyes, but most of all it gave a luminescence to the sad smile she was giving the world.

"Alida," he breathed, not meaning too but she turned to him at the sound of her name and it was like she was calling to him, or he was calling to her and he was moving forward and wrapping his arms around her before he could think of a reason why he shouldn't. For a brief heart stopping moment it seemed like she would pull away but then she melted into his arms, lips finding his own as he leaned down to kiss her frown away.

* * *

 **Sorry that it has been so long. This was a hard chapter to rewrite for some reason,**

 **but hopefully now that I've gotten it done I can start updating frequently again!**


	21. A Flight

Alida melted into the touch, eyelids falling shut as her hands came up to hold him. It was a soft kiss, burning through her with its kindness and Alida had a moment of 'oh, that's what this is supposed to feel like' before she realized what was happening and pulled away, eyes wide. Dean let her, green eyes searching hers worriedly when he realized she was panicking.

"Alida," Dean began, a disappointed echo to his earlier call and she shook her head, clearing her throat.

"No, don't. I'm fine, I just. I need to go," Alida told him, stepping away towards the edge of the cave and Dean instinctively grabbed her arm, making her leap in a jolt of fear, golden wings spreading instinctively as if to fly away.

"Wings, right, sorry. That's just a really long drop," Dean told her and he was relieved to see her relax into his hold, a grin tugging her mouth up and warming her eyes.

"I think I'm going to fly back, stretch my wings," Alida told him and Dean nodded, watching her face carefully. She didn't give anything away, but that was the avian equivalent of I need space if he had ever heard it.

"Okay, do what you have to. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just surprised you that way," Dean told her, reluctantly letting go of her arm to run his fingers through his hair. She hesitated, caught between wanting to escape this conversation and something that looked like regret.

"Dean, it's fine, I promise," Alida said softly and he shrugged. If it was fine she wouldn't be watching him like that right now, her wide blue blue eyes nervous. Suddenly she lit up as if she had realized something and his heart lifted at the sight.

"You know, it's not very far to the impala if you'd like a lift," Alida told him lightly and Dean froze, mind blanking as he looked past her to where there was open air. The small flare of pride that she had gotten the Impala right when earlier her only descriptor had been black was utterly doused by a very strong panic. Dean swallowed, looking back to where she was watching him expectantly. He wanted to scream hell no, that there were thousands of things he would rather do, like revisit Purgatory for a vacation, or get a pet hell hound, but he could see that she was excited, nervously waiting for an answer. He didn't want to disappoint her, leave her with nothing except her new fear of him because he couldn't' keep his hands to himself.

"Sure," Dean agreed, nearly choking on the word and he could already feel himself starting to sweat. HE was a god damned hunter, he could face down a wendigo without flinching, he had faced down Lucifer himself. He could take a little flight.

Alida beamed, her happiness beautifully lighting up her face, and although that loosened the tight knot that his heart was in a little, it didn't get rid of the nausea or the fear. At least now he could blame his lack of breath on her instead of his fear.

"It'll be more like gliding. Nothing to worry about," Alida told him and Dean laughed shortly, not even hidden behind a mask of non-hysteria.

"You sure you can do this? Won't you get tired?" Dean asked, shifting his weight and Alida walked up to him, gently taking his wrists. He stilled, looking down into her confident face.

"Dean, I will not drop you. If you don't want to, we don't have to," Alida told him firmly and Dean would blame the sensation of her skin against his and her open eyes later, but he only nodded, giving permission for her to lead him to the edge of the cliff. HE kept his eyes on hers for as long as possible before she had to let him go.

"Now, do you want me to hold your hands where you can hold onto me, or under your arms?" Alida asked him, moving to stand behind him and he tried his damndest to focus on her body heat rather than looking down.

"Which ones easier for you?" Dean asked, before being thoroughly distracted as she pressed against him from behind, her body entirely against his as her arms wrapped around his chest.

"Let's do under the arms, that way you can hold onto them," Auria told him, breathe hot against his neck and he swallowed thickly.

"Ready?" Alida asked and he couldn't make himself say yes, eyes flickering downward to where the ground was very very far away.

"I"ve got you," Alida promised him, and he closed his eyes, pressing his hands over hers where they rest on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, rapidly pounding in under her palms but then he nodded and she gently pressed forward, making him take a step into the open air. Dean screamed on the way down, before her wings opened wide with a snap, catching the air and pulling them up with a jerk against her arms. Her hold was firm however and he didn't slide in her hold as he immediately grabbed for her arms, knuckles turning white against his will.

She expected it, but it didn't stop her from laughing when his scream turned into colorful curses, and the sound only made him curse louder, eyes pressed firmly closed. His legs dangled, and his stomach dropped, knowing he was too far off of the ground with only Alida holding him in the air. He could feel the wind against his face, ruffling his hair and ripping through his clothing as they slowly descended downward.

"Dean," Alida whispered in his ear, her soft breathe against his skin and any interest he might have had in the sensation was diverted to sheer panic. This was a nightmare.

"Dean, you can't keep your eyes closed. You'll miss everything," Alida told him and he gritted his teeth as they did a small drop before leveling back out.

"Good," Dean forced out and he felt her sigh.

"Don't you want to see what my world is like?" Alida asked and the question made him pause. This was her life, this was who she was and she was sharing it with him. Had she ever done this with anyone else?

Dean swallowed thickly, jaw aching from clenching it so tight, but he slowly forced his eyes open, leaning his head back against her shoulder to look at the sky. It was everywhere. It was so clear and blue, swallowing them and it made him catch his breath. He tilted his head against hers, feeling her hair whipping in the wind and it stung his cheek for a moment before he took a steadying breath and lifted his head to look farther down.

It was beautiful. The horizon was still awash with the colors of the sunrise and from this high he could see for miles in both directions. He was so far above it all, the world moving beneath him at a pace that seemed unreal, leaving him with a sense of disassociation. Only the sensation of gravity pulling him back towards the ground, pressing him against her arms, and the wind against him kept him grounded that he was really doing this. He was flying.

She started to turn, tilting the slightest bit and he was jolted back into terror before they leveled back out. He looked over to watch her wing, the long powerful length always moving. Even though they were only gliding, he could see individual feathers moving to capture the air or the wing itself tilt the slightest bit to keep them air born. The yellow brown color caught the light spectacularly, lighting it up and making the feathers look like molten gold.

Dean tilted his head to see the side of her face, a wide grin splitting it with pure happiness as the wind whipped her red hair around her face and left her cheeks pink. Her blue eyes were more alive than he had ever seen them, and he could see the pure joy that flying caused her. She looked to him, giving him a small smile as if sharing a secret with him and he had never felt so honored to be a part of something that absolutely terrified him before. To see that look on her face, it was worth it.

"There's your baby," Alida told him and Dean turned to find his beautiful car waiting patiently for them. It looked so small. Dean swallowed, realizing how fast they were going as it whizzed closer, the trees around them going by so fast it hurt to watch.

They were getting closer at an alarming speed and Dean nearly asked if they were going to crash when she started to beat her wins, catching the air and slowing them with a jolt. Dean did shout as they fell before she caught them once more, before he realized it was the normal motions. The jerky falls made him nauseous and he held onto her tight as they came into the parking lot, his feet coming closer to the ground.

"Get ready, I've never landed with someone before," Alida told him and Dean sowre.

"You're only mentioning that now?!" Dean yelped and then they were hitting the pavement, her wings catching the air and carrying him across the surface so that his feet didn't slam into the hard ground. He ran a few steps, boots skimming the ground before she lowered a bit more, letting him take his own weight and then she was letting go, trying to lift up so she didn't hit him.

She slowly slid her arms away from him, holding on with one hand as she guided his landing. She tried to gain height, but at the moment that she would have let go and taken off Dean tripped, and he instinctively gripped her hand tighter.

She held on as well, trying to help him but then she was falling crashing into him and they tumbled onto the surface, Dean grunted as she hit him into the back and they went sprawling in a mass of scraped limbs and flailing feathers.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked after they had rolled to a stop, Alida landing half on top of him, and the flutter of very ruffled wings was his only reply as she tried to get her leg out from in under his.

"Are you?" Alida asked as she tried to untangle herself, succeeding only so far as to flop on her side so that she could see how badly Dean was hurt. She worriedly reached out for him, grabbing his chin and tilting his head as she searched for bumps or bruises. His head seemed okay at least, and satisfied she released him, crawling to her knees to get closer and look over the rest of him.

"Hey, I'm fine, nothin broken. Probably a bruise or two, but I call that a win considering I was expecting to go splat. Now, are you okay?" Dean asked again, firmly grabbing her hands and making her stop so that she would answer him. He frowned when he saw the scrapes up the bottom of her arms where she had tried to catch herself. They were bleeding and there were little pieces of gravel in them but Alida grinned, seemingly unconcerned. She tossed her wind knotted hair over her shoulder, eyeing Dean.

"Fine, I'll heal up within half an hour. We would have been fine if you could've stayed on your feet," Alida teased him and Dean rolled his eyes looking back to what had tripped him up. He couldn't' find anything.

"It was damn pothole, not my fault that the health freaks don't take care of their parking lots," Dean protested and Alida looked over the ground, pointedly raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up, it's there. A small one, with a crack or something," Dean told her as he shoved himself to his feet, reaching down to offer her a hand. She took it easily, and he pulled her to her feet, and surprised once again by how light she was he pulled so hard, yanking her against him. For a moment he felt the connection again, the heat of her body against his and her wide eyes staring into his, the shared joy from earlier still buzzing between them and ready to be caught alight. She blushed as she stepped away, eyes darting away from him and Dean frowned.

"Hey, thank you. For they flying. That was awesome," Dean told her, for once annoyed at being at a loss for words to describe how much it actually meant to him, but Alida smiled at him, understanding.

"Anytime," Alida told him, laughing at his very not interested expression.

"See you at the hotel?" Alida asked, stepping away and Dean's heart sunk as he nodded, giving her fake grin and a cheerful wave as she took off, only a few short steps before she was in the air again, flying off without him.

His smile dropped as soon as she was turned, and he watched her gain height for a moment, unable to leave until he lost sight of her. But then she turned in the air above him, making a wide circle and Dean grinned as he realized she was waiting for him. Dean got into his car, watching the golden wings turn towards the hotel, swooping lower before darting ahead of him and Dean smirked as he revved his engine, turning from the parking lot and getting onto an open road. Once there he hit the gas, picking up speed until he was catching up and then she was moving in front again, and soon they were taking turns taking the lead, racing back across the state to their hotel.

* * *

 **Okay, so its sort of short guys, I'm sorry. I decided to write something to try and jump back in, so we'll so how it goes!**

 **Thank you so much for reading :)**


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